Special Education Outcomes for Students Attending a State-Funded Pre-K Program
Abstract
While early studies found participation in public prekindergarten reduced the need for later special education services, recent studies of large-scale programs yield mixed results. Using a randomized controlled trial of the Tennessee Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten (TN-VPK) program, we find that TN-VPK students were more likely to have an individualized education program at all timepoints through sixth grade. These differences were driven by increased identification of speech-language impairment in the early grades and specific learning disabilities in the later grades. The increased participation in special education does not fully explain previously reported negative findings for all TN-VPK students on achievement and disciplinary outcomes. We conclude by proposing potential mechanisms that may explain these concerning findings and make recommendations for future research.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Early Childhood Education and Development
Family and Disability Support Research
Parental Involvement in Education
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis
- Publisher
- American Educational Research Association (AERA)
- Volume
- 48
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 1155–1179
- Publication date
- 20 February 2026
- Language
- EN