Arya Ansari|Kelly M. Purtell|Elizabeth T. Gershoff
Classroom Age Composition and the School Readiness of 3- and 4-Year-Olds in the Head Start Program
The University of Texas at Austin|The Ohio State University|The University of Texas at Austin
federal head start program designed improve school readiness children lowincome families often serves 3 4yearolds classrooms given developmental differences 3 4yearolds unknown whether educating together classrooms benefits one group neither using data family child experiences survey 2009 cohort study used peereffects framework examine associations mixedage classrooms school readiness nationally representative sample newly enrolled 3yearolds n 1644 4yearolds n 1185 head start program results revealed 4yearolds displayed fewer gains academic skills preschool year enrolled classrooms 3yearolds effect sizes corresponded 4 5 months academic development contrast classroom age composition consistently associated 3yearolds school readiness