Follow the directions below for the completion of the Research Proposal assignment for Unit III. The subject of my Research paper is The effects of Early Childhood Education.· Purpose: The pu

Effects of Early Childhood Education

Johniceya Jackson

Columbia Southern University

Effects of Early Childhood Education

Artz, B., & Welsch, D. M. (2016). The Impact of Publicly Provided Early Childhood Education Programs on District-Level Test Scores. Contemporary Economic Policy, 34(1), 89-106. doi:10.1111/coep. 12128

Artz and Welsch discuss the effect of childhood education on school districts. They examine the effect of publicly provided programs on achievement among fourth-grade students. Using Math and reading, they find out that preschool programs have a little impact on future Math scores of children, especially those in less-educated communities. School districts offer different programs, full-day, half-day or a mixture of both. There is a plan to expand kindergarten education to public pre-kindergarten platforms. However, it is imperative to understand the benefits of the existing kindergarten programs before considered the public program that will provide more opportunities for young children. District pre-kindergarten programs focus on learning the effect of their programs on children from low-income communities. Artz and Welsch based their estimates on Wisconsin school districts to find out if kindergarten programs improve district-level scores. The results of the study reveal that the programs cause a positive impact on Math test scores, but there were no improvements in reading scores. The estimates will help show the impact of nursery school programs among children from low-income communities.

Duncan, G. J., & Magnuson, K. (2013). Investing in preschool programs. The Journal of Economic Perspectives, 27(2), 109-132. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1257/jep.27.2.109

Duncan and Magnuson discuss childhood educations programs that are a worthy investment. Early childhood programs provide care and help parents focus on their careers, but their greatest potential is the value they provide as an investment. Duncan and Magnuson provide a summary of available early education programs and summarize the findings to provide sound evaluations of early childhood education. Duncan and Magnuson posit that education programs enhance intellectual ability and level of educational attainment in the short-term. The impact of some of the programs often disappears within a short period. However, continuous follow up of a child’s education shows lasting positive effects and greater educational achievement. Duncan and Magnuson argue that the skills and behaviors that produce long-term educational attainment are undefined. But childhood education programs should be enriched in such a way that they enable children to succeed in the labor market in later life. They also describe models of human development and results across different groups of individuals. The text will be useful in identifying aspects that can improve the performance of childhood education programs.

Flores, R. L., Curby, T. W., Coleman, H., & Melo, K. (2016). Using Early Learning Standards to Provide High-Quality Education for All Children: The Early Learning Guidelines Toolkit. Theory Into Practice, 55(2), 145-152. doi:10.1080/00405841.2016.1157422

Flores, Curby, Coleman, and Melo discuss the significance of providing superior early learning. Access to excellent early education enhances the development of children and enhances their physical and mental well-being. Educators ensure they implement standards to promote high-quality education. However, they can only succeed if they have adequate resources that support their work. Flores, Curby, Coleman, and Melo point out that the number of children enrolling in early childhood education programs is rising. Since the number is increasing, people have started focusing on program quality. Educators need to have a better insight of their relevance in creating high standards that support early learning and development. Flores, Curby, Coleman, and Melo posit that a gap exists in the ability of instructors to use evidence-based guidelines to provide education. They attempt to close this gap by describing the importance of early education standards. Using the Early Learning Toolkit, Flores, Curby, Coleman, and Melo prove that instructors need management and resources to sustain early learning. The principles can be applied within states and across the nation. This discussion will be useful in providing an insight of bridging theory and practice.

Montez, J. K., & Hayward, M. D. (2014). Cumulative childhood adversity, educational attainment, and active life expectancy among U.S. adults. Demography, 51(2), 413-35. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s13524-013-0261-x

Montez and Hayward study the impact of early childhood experiences on the life expectancies of individuals. They also seek to understand the extent to which educational attainment affects early childhood experiences and life expectancy. Montez and Hayward define active expectancy as the period that a person can live without functional limitations. Active life expectancy reflects age-related functioning and mortality risks. Montez and Hayward argue that there are considerable discrepancies in life expectancy between subclasses of individuals. One of the factors that contribute to these disparities is education. Education is an authoritative resource that enables people to garner social, intellectual and mental functioning. Studies reveal that adult physical functioning depends on early education and childhood experiences. Montez and Hayward study the effect of health on educational accomplishment among children from disadvantaged and advantaged childhoods. They find out that education has a larger impact on health. Adults from disadvantaged early experiences who receive education have active life expectancies. Their life expectancies are often superior to those of people from privileged childhoods but received little schooling. This text will help provide an explanation of the effect of education on different demographics of societies.

Pianta, R. C., & Sheridan, S. M. (Eds.). (2015). Handbook of early childhood education. New York, NY: Guilford Publications.

Pianta and Sheridan note that early childhood education receives more attention and funding, but the quality of programs varies. They provide the current knowledge about early education and recognize important aspects of practice and policy. They use experts to examine what promotes the eagerness to learn and social and emotional progress between children in kindergarten and primary grades. Pianta and Sheridan give an overview of early education in the United States, enrollment patterns, and resource availability at State and Federal levels. Pianta and Sheridan study these aspects to determine how the schools utilize resources and administer education. The book also presents teaching methods that can work and answers that can help strengthen the collaboration between parents and professionals. Pianta and Sheridan argue that educators foster specific skills such as language, science, literary skills and early mathematics. These excerpts will be useful in evaluating the effectiveness of the programs in early education. Exemplary approaches to early education help support children’s functioning, social-emotional well-being, and mental health.

Wan-Xuan, H., & Kuo-Wei, L. (2015). The Effect of Teacher's Leadership Style on the Outcomes of Early Childhood Education. International Journal of Organizational Innovation, 8(1), 77-86.

Wan-Xuan and Kuo-We discuss the importance of teacher leadership in bringing about a healthy learning atmosphere to children. They postulate that childhood education is not concerned with physical and mental development only. It also contributes to a nation’s development because children who progress adaptively from their childhood become successful contributors of economic development. Wan-Xuan and Kuo-Wei explore the influence of educators’ guidance on teaching effectiveness. They use observations and Rubrics Scale to keep a record of children’s performance from the commencement to the end of one term. Their investigation reveals that an educator’s leadership causes a significant impact on children’s learning. Wan-Xuan and Kuo-Wei argue that a suitable and organized blend of instructors with diverse leadership might boost youngsters’ education experiences. A leader guides individuals to common goals. At the teaching level of the kindergarten, the teacher acts as a leader who should understand what children need and meet those needs. There should be collaboration among instructors to produce a good environment suitable for learning. Effective teacher leadership helps children and enhances their overall learning and child growth.

Wrobel, S. (2012). From Threat to Opportunity: A Head Start Program's Response to State-Funded Pre-K. Journal of Health and Human Services Administration, 35(1), 74-105. Retrieved from https://search.proquest.com/docview/1030146487?accountid=45049

Wrobel discusses the shift from nonprofit and grant-funded early childhood programs to state-funded pre-kindergarten (pre-K) initiatives. Nonprofit organizations have traditionally dominated early childhood education. An example of grant-funded programs is Head Start. However, with state-funded programming, it is unclear whether or not these programs are sustainable. Some agencies view state-funded programs as a threat, but others do not. The threat has made some schools to seize the opportunity to improve service delivery. Wrobel uses a partnership between a school in an urban area and Head Start program. Head Start partnered with the school in response to the impending threat of pre-K initiatives. The study used secondary data and staff surveys to evaluate the collaboration. The study measures the effectiveness of the collaboration by evaluating teacher and manager opinions. Wrobel states that collaboration could be effective through commitment, strong leadership, and effective communication. Comprehensive research is necessary to make the affected persons understand how the collaboration will help them. An investigation of the child outcomes of the collaboration and improved services helps to determine the degree of success of early childhood education. This text will be useful in providing recommendations for improving childhood education.