Daphna Bassok|Scott Latham|Anna Rorem
Is Kindergarten the New First Grade?
University of Virginia|University of Virginia|University of Virginia
recent accounts suggest accountability pressures trickled early elementary grades kindergarten today characterized heightened focus academic skills reduction opportunities play paper compares public school kindergarten classrooms 1998 2010 using two large nationally representative data sets show substantial changes five dimensions considered kindergarten teachers beliefs school readiness time spent academic nonacademic content classroom organization pedagogical approach use standardized assessments kindergarten teachers later period held far higher academic expectations children prior kindergarten entry kindergarten year devoted time advanced literacy math content teacherdirected instruction assessment substantially less time art music science childselected activities