A report released last week shows the effectiveness of Tennessee’s prekindergarten program diminishes after the 2nd grade, but supporters say it still provides a valuable foundation that will help at-risk children succeed.
The report commissioned by the state comptroller’s office reveals kindergarten pupils who participated in the pre-K program performed better academically than a group of those who didn’t. However, it shows that there is “little evidence that the unique effects of pre-K” last beyond 2nd grade.
Since 2005, Gov. Phil Bredesen, a Democrat, has created 786 new pre-K classrooms serving 15,000 children. There are now a total of 934 state-funded pre-K classrooms in the state, serving about 18,000 children.
