THE LONG-TERM EFFECTS ON HIGH-SCHOOL SENIORS OF LEARNING TO READ IN KINDERGARTEN

FOLLOW-UP study assessed the educational history and current reading p roficiencies of a large number of high school seniors (N = 3,959) from 24 school districts in 10 U.S. states in 1986. The purpose was to exa mine the effects, if any, of receiving formal reading instruction in k indergarten. Over one third of these students attended elementary scho ols that implemented a carefully developed beginning reading program i n their kindergarten classes in 1973. Although the study included kind ergarten students from all backgrounds, those from at-risk backgrounds were overrepresented. Three types of information were combined for ea ch student to create the database for this study: (a) the amount of ki ndergarten reading instruction received; (b) family background and edu cational history variables assessed as a high school senior; and (c) r eading interests and competencies assessed as a high school senior. A series of comparative analyses is presented that examined the relation ship between kindergarten reading instruction and various effects vari ables describing the students' subsequent schooling experiences and re ading competencies as high school seniors. Results showed that clear, consistent, and positive differences were associated with receiving ki ndergarten reading instruction.