Preschools attended by low-income and minority children provide on average less free-choice and high-quality curricula than those attended by higher-income and white peers, concludes a study out late last month in the American Educational Research Journal.
Analyzing data from more than 12,000 students in 11 states, educational consultant Rachel Valentino found minorities and students from low-income families are more likely than their counterparts to have teachers with authoritarian beliefs about child rearing. They are also less likely to have free-choice activities and more likely to use worksheets than white or higher-income preschoolers.
Valentino also found Hispanic students are enrolled in larger classes and have less experienced teachers.
