New Study: New York City Kids Who Attend Pre-k are More Likely to Try Out For Gifted Classes

By Bethany Braun-Silva February 18, 2016

A new study shows that kids who attend New York City's free full-day Pre-k program are five times more likely to try out for gifted and talented programs later on, according to the NY Daily News.

The study was conducted at New York University by author, Ying Lu, and it showed that the odds of taking the gifted and talented test were 4.8 times higher in students who went to Pre-k full time. It was 3 times higher for students who went to Pre-k part time, compared to students who did not attend at all.

The study included 70,000 kindergartners and the research was conducted in 2009.

Yu says, "Whether a student attends a public pre-K program is the strongest predictor of whether the student takes the gifted and talented test."

The city's universal Pre-k programs have long been thought to have a positive impact on New York City students, now it looks like it is actually being proven.

Harry Hartfield, spokesperson for the City Education Department said, “This study is an important reminder that free, full-day, high-quality pre-K can help level the playing field and ensure that all our students — no matter where they live — have the same opportunities to succeed."

If you're on the fence about whether or not to send your child to Pre-k, here is some important information on the process. It's not too late, the application deadline is March 4th!

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