Description:
The Washington State legislature directed the Washington State Institute for Public Policy (WSIPP) to develop "a repository of research and evaluations of the cost-benefits of various K-12 educational programs and services." In this report, we analyze a K-12 policy question: do the long-term benefits of full-day kindergarten (in comparison with half-day) outweigh the costs? We researched this question by reviewing all credible evaluation studies from the United States and elsewhere. We systematically analyzed the studies to estimate whether full-day kindergarten has a cause-and-effect relationship with student outcomes. We then calculated whether the long-term monetary benefits of full-day kindergarten exceed the operating and capital costs. In this report, we describe our research approach and highlight our findings on full-day kindergarten. An appendix provides technical details. (author abstract)
Resource Type:
Literature Review
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