4K INFORMATION
Research Related to 4K
Wisconsin does not have data to correlate student performance on statewide tests with past 4K participation. Wisconsin, however, was one of the states that participated in the National Center for Early Development & Learning Multi-State Study of Pre-Kindergarten & Study of State-Wide Early Education Programs (SWEEP). The full report provides a descriptive picture of pre-k children and classrooms across eleven states. Although the authors caution the study was not an experiment in which children were randomly assigned to either attend pre-k or not, making it impossible to know how much of the gains in children’s academic and social skills were caused by their pre-k experiences, they believe the study helps better understand the issues, problems, and opportunities within pre-k education. Information specific to Wisconsin and the children that participated in a 4K program was summarized and shared with the state. See a summary here. As enrollment in Wisconsin’s 4-year-old kindergarten (4K) grows, interest in measuring 4K’s impact on child development has also increased. A variety of studies the positive impact of these programs on children, society, and the economy: Research on 4YK
4K Community Approaches
The Benefits and Impact of 4K Community Approach Website, tells the story of what makes 4-year-old kindergarten community approaches (4KCA) good for children, families, child care, school districts, Head Start, community programs, and the general public.
Four-Year-Old Kindergarten Start Up Grants
The 2008 state budget began start up grants for school districts wanting to implement 4-year-old kindergarten. The statutes required priority to school districts using community approaches to 4K through partnerships with child care and Head Start. Go to our Four-Year-Old Kindergarten Grants page for more details.
History of 4/5-Year-Old Kindergarten in Wisconsin
Wisconsin's history of 4K and 5K is captured in An Abbreviated History of 4- and 5-Year-Old Kindergarten in Wisconsin: 1840-2017. The history specific to 4K is captured in The Unique History of Four-Year-Old Kindergarten in Wisconsin . It explores key developments, starting with the inclusion of education for 4-year-olds in the 1848 Constitution and the establishment of first private kindergarten in the country in Watertown in 1856.
Information and Resources:
- DPI Policy and Information Advisory 2.17 ♦ August 2017 This policy information and question and answers document, provides general information related to to 4-year-old kindergarten and to 4-year-old kindergarten community approaches .
- Rationale and Best Practices for 4-year-old Kindergarten
- Guiding Principles Curriculum Considerations
- 4K/5K Transition: Guidance
- Forces for Fours (Forces44): Listserv
- The forces44 listserv facilitates interactive, electronic communication between the agencies, associations, and individuals interested in community collaboration related to services to 4-year-old children and their families. Join the listserv
Lessons Learned from Community Approaches
More and more school districts are taking community approaches to 4-year-old kindergarten by offering the program in an array of settings including schools, childcare, and Head Start. The following links will help you learn more about these approaches.
- Community Approaches to Serving Four-Year-Old Children in Wisconsin: Lessons Learned from Wisconsin Communities
- Creating a Community Approach to Serving Four-Year-Old Children in Wisconsin: Public Awareness Packet
- Sandbox Synergy: This article from the Wisconsin Association of School Boards Association News describes efforts in La Crosse to develop a community wide approach to 4-year-old kindergarten and how child care and the district became partners in 4k.
