Abbott preschool program participants outperform peers, study shows

A report released last month by the National Institute for Early Education Research at Rutgers University found that participants in New Jersey’s well-funded Abbott preschool program achieve significantly better academic results than their peers through the first and second grades. “The APPLES Blossom: Abbott Preschool Program Longitudinal Effects Study (APPLES)” tracked the progress of students who had been enrolled in the program for 1 and 2 years, respectively, and non-participants in 15 Abbott districts. The researchers found that graduates of the early education initiative outperformed their peers on oral language, reading and mathematics assessments. Additionally, 2 years of participation yielded greater benefits than 1, and these students were half as likely to be held back a grade as non-participants.

The pre-school program was established as one remedy in the Abbott v. Burke school funding litigation, and serves over 43,000 children in 31 of New Jersey’s poorest school districts. Children receive year-long, full-day instruction in classes with no more than 15 students. Teachers must meet rigorous quality standards, including certification and in depth knowledge of early childhood development. The program is available to all 3 and 4 year olds residing in the 31 poor urban Abbott districts, although some families choose not to enroll their children.

The “APPLES” report is one of several studies chronicling the success of Abbott initiatives, and lends further support to the New Jersey Supreme Court’s claim that Abbott districts have achieved “measurable student improvement.” Research by Margaret E. Goertz has shown that the achievement gaps between students in Abbott districts and all other districts closed by 11 points between 1999 and 2007, and the disparity in performance between these districts and high-wealth districts fell by 13 points during the same time period.