Short-Lived Gains or Enduring Benefits? The Long-Term Impact of Full-Day Kindergarten

Are students who attend full-day kindergarten better prepared for future academic success than their peers who attend half-day kindergarten programs? Much of the current research on full-day kindergarten programs suggests they are. Researchers cite gains such as increased academic achievement, lower grade retention rates, improved attendance, and improved social skills experienced by full-day kindergarten students at the end of the kindergarten year. This research has led to increased program and funding support by legislators around the country. Yet, there has been relatively little evaluation or discourse regarding the impact of full-day kindergarten on students’ performance in subsequent grades. The research that has been conducted is far from conclusive. This Education Policy Brief will provide an update on full-day kindergarten in Indiana and examine what the existing, albeit limited, research says about the magnitude and duration of long-term benefits experienced by students who attend full-day kindergarten (FDK).