@EdWorkingPaper{ai22-555,
title = "An Investigation of Head Start Preschool ChildrenŐs Executive Function, Early Literacy, and Numeracy Learning in the Midst of the COVID-19 Pandemic",
author = "Kathleen Lynch, Monica Lee, Susanna Loeb",
institution = "Annenberg Institute at Brown University",
number = "555",
year = "2022",
month = "April",
URL = "http://www.edworkingpapers.com/ai22-555",
abstract = {The COVID-19 pandemicŐs impact on preschool childrenŐs school readiness skills remains understudied. This research investigates whether exposure to in-person (versus virtual) Head Start preschool predicted childrenŐs early numeracy, literacy, and executive function outcomes during a pandemic-affected school year, using a novel virtual assessment methodology. Study children (N = 336; mean age = 51 months; 46% Hispanic; 36% Black Non-Hispanic; 52% female) experienced low in-person preschool exposure compared to national pre-pandemic norms. However, study children experienced gains during the pandemic-affected year of 0.08 SD in executive function, 0.34 SD in print knowledge, and 0.49-0.75 in early numeracy skills. For two of the three early numeracy domains measured, spring test score outcomes were stronger among children who attended more in-person preschool.},
}