Date of Award

2025

Type

Thesis

Major

Doctor of Education

Degree Type

Doctor of Education in Curriculum and Leadership

Department

Teacher Education

First Advisor

Dr. Parul Acharya

Second Advisor

Dr. Adam KIlcrease

Third Advisor

Dr. Lauren Neal

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine how pre-kindergarten impacts the literacy achievement of students in Alabama Title I schools. This quantitative study employed a causal-comparative (ex post facto) research design to examine the impact of Alabama’s First-Class Pre-K (FCPK) program on early literacy and school readiness, as measured by the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) and the Alabama Early Learning Inventory (AL ELI). The design was selected due to its appropriateness for studying naturally occurring groups and its capacity to explore potential cause-and-effect relationships without researcher-controlled intervention.

The independent variable was Pre-K attendance (attendee vs. non-attendee), while the dependent variables included DIBELS components—Letter Naming Fluency (LNF), Phonemic Segmentation Fluency (PSF), Nonsense Word Fluency (NWF), and Word Reading Fluency (WRF)—and AL ELI domains—social-emotional, physical, language, cognitive, literacy, and math. Retrospective data from 2,200 students from five Title I schools during the 2022–23 and 2023–24 academic years were analyzed using independent samples t-tests via SPSS (v28.0.1.1). To ensure the validity of findings, statistical assumptions of the t-test were rigorously tested, including normality (Shapiro-Wilk), homogeneity of variance (Levene’s test), and removal of outliers based on box plots and histograms.

The findings indicated statistically significant differences in several literacy and school readiness domains between students who attended Pre-K and those who did not, with Pre-K attendees generally outperforming their peers. These results support previous literature emphasizing the long-term academic and developmental benefits of early childhood education programs, particularly for children from low-income communities.

Additionally, a 20-item Likert-scale survey was administered to 100 K-2 teachers to explore perceptions of standardized testing. Though not statistically analyzed in SPSS, survey data was descriptively summarized to inform the discussion on instructional practices and assessment culture in early education. The overall survey results indicated that special education and inclusion teachers believe that early childhood assessments induce stress, have a narrow focus, can be misused, causing validity and reliability issues, require additional time and resources, and can negatively impact curriculum and instruction. This study underscores the practical value of causal-comparative research in educational settings and provides insights for policymakers and educators aiming to enhance literacy outcomes through expanded access to high-quality Pre-K programs.

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