| This longitudinal study contributes to understanding child-based factors assessable in pre-readers that effect elementary performance. Given the research on language development, brain development, and data from longitudinal studies that support the benefits of high quality early education, the current study examines the entry trajectory of participants to enable well designed instruction and intervention. Study participants were 49 members of a school district's state funded experimental pre-kindergarten program for families of low socioeconomic status and replicated with 40 participants from the consecutive year. Quantitative methods were used to answer questions on the relationship between the participants' kindergarten readiness, as measured by total readiness score and domain scores in verbal, auditory, and perceptual processing on the Phelps Kindergarten Readiness Scale-Second Edition, to scale score and Standard Performance Indexes of a performance based test, the New York State Education Department's fourth grade English Language Arts assessment. Pearson correlations were conducted indicating a positive correlation of statistical significance in the relationship. Results of the study support using child-based assessments to inform instruction and intervention and strengthen early educational experiences. |
