| Almost half of the students who enter kindergarten come to school unprepared. Students who come unprepared for the academic demands of kindergarten are at risk for needing support throughout their education. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between the type of prekindergarten program (private, public, or none) attended and early literacy scores as assessed by Dynamic Indicators of Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS). The theory of constructivism served as the conceptual framework for this study. The research question examined the relationship between type of prekindergarten program and students' early literacy skills. Prekindergarten program data were collected from 31 parents, and students' DIBELS scores were used to compare initial sound fluency (ISF) and letter naming fluency (LNF) among groups. The results of ANOVA analyses indicated no difference in ISF scores, but there was a significant difference in LNF scores between students who attended a private or public prekindergarten compared to those who did not attend prekindergarten.;Recommendations include providing all students with prekindergarten opportunities and conducting further research on the impact of prekindergarten on students' abilities. The implications for positive social change include the engagement of both parents and school administration in the understanding of the effects of prekindergarten on early literacy skills and the positive effects of providing prekindergarten opportunities to all children. |
