Understanding Young Children's Learning and Development in the Wake of the Pandemic: Evidence from Acelero Head Start Programs
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| Title: | Understanding Young Children's Learning and Development in the Wake of the Pandemic: Evidence from Acelero Head Start Programs |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Meghan McCormick, Maya Goldberg, Emily Swinth, Cate Smith Todd, Lydia Carlis, Victoria Chavez, Samantha Xia |
| Source: | Early Education and Development. 2025 36(3):515-541. |
| Availability: | Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 27 |
| Publication Date: | 2025 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Descriptors: | COVID-19, Pandemics, Emergent Literacy, Language Skills, Mathematics Skills, Executive Function, Child Development, Academic Achievement, Age Differences, Gender Differences, Family Structure, Low Income Students, Federal Programs, Social Services, Early Intervention, Socioeconomic Status, Racial Differences, Ethnicity, Language Usage, Individual Characteristics |
| Geographic Terms: | Nevada, New Jersey, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia), Wisconsin (Milwaukee) |
| Laws, Policies and Program Identifiers: | Head Start |
| Assessment and Survey Identifiers: | Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, Classroom Assessment Scoring System |
| DOI: | 10.1080/10409289.2024.2423384 |
| ISSN: | 1040-9289 1556-6935 |
| Abstract: | Research Findings: The COVID-19 pandemic had significant negative effects on the learning and development of school-aged children in the United States, with disproportionate impacts on children from marginalized groups. There is less evidence on the extent to which the pandemic affected younger children -- ages 3 to 5 -- from these groups. The current study examined the extent to which children in Acelero Head Start centers (N = 343) made gains in literacy, language, math, and executive functioning 2 years after the start of the pandemic and compared those learning gains to pre-pandemic norms in national Head Start and Acelero comparison samples. Children grew rapidly in all domains, performing and gaining in line with (or faster than) pre-pandemic Acelero Head Start children in language, literacy, and executive functioning. Overall scores were lower and growth was slower in math than pre-pandemic levels. Four-year-old children in the current study generally made larger gains than their younger peers. Boys and children from single parent households made larger gains in language skills compared to girls and children from two-parent households, respectively. Practice or Policy: Results provide evidence on Head Start children's academic and cognitive skills during the pandemic recovery and highlight the need for continued research to support children's resilience. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1499534 |
| Database: | ERIC |
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| Abstract: | Research Findings: The COVID-19 pandemic had significant negative effects on the learning and development of school-aged children in the United States, with disproportionate impacts on children from marginalized groups. There is less evidence on the extent to which the pandemic affected younger children -- ages 3 to 5 -- from these groups. The current study examined the extent to which children in Acelero Head Start centers (N = 343) made gains in literacy, language, math, and executive functioning 2 years after the start of the pandemic and compared those learning gains to pre-pandemic norms in national Head Start and Acelero comparison samples. Children grew rapidly in all domains, performing and gaining in line with (or faster than) pre-pandemic Acelero Head Start children in language, literacy, and executive functioning. Overall scores were lower and growth was slower in math than pre-pandemic levels. Four-year-old children in the current study generally made larger gains than their younger peers. Boys and children from single parent households made larger gains in language skills compared to girls and children from two-parent households, respectively. Practice or Policy: Results provide evidence on Head Start children's academic and cognitive skills during the pandemic recovery and highlight the need for continued research to support children's resilience. |
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| ISSN: | 1040-9289 1556-6935 |
| DOI: | 10.1080/10409289.2024.2423384 |
