Does Pre-K Make Any Difference Summary

The article, “Does Pre-K Make Any Difference?” by Kirp (2015) suggests that Pre-school programs are essential in closing the achievement gap, as it allows young children to take an active role in their education from early on. As stated, “New Jersey, poor children who went to prekindergarten and are now in fifth grade have closed 20 to 30 percent of the achievement gap between poor students and the nationwide average” (Kirp, p.1, 2015). The author posits that pre-kindergarten programs are beneficial in exposing children to curriculum that will further develop their literacy skills. It is not uncommon for school aged children to develop phonological awareness prior to entering Kindergarten, which is a crucial component to their learning trajectory