PreK - 8 Schools
Leveraging the Potential of Pre-K-8 Schools for Providence Students
As RIDE, PPSD and the City of Providence embark on the next phase of educational facility improvement, it is critical to connect investments made with the educational aspirations of the district and the goals of the wider community. Starting with the Turnaround Action Plan and building through various forms of engagement with community members, some key goals have emerged that are directly connected with facility planning efforts.
These goals include:
- Increasing the percentage of students who feel a sense of belonging at their school;
- Minimizing school transitions;
- Building stronger relationships with families;
and - Applying transformational thinking regarding the middle school experience.
As a byproduct of the planning process, it has become evident that the construction of Pre-K through 8th grade facilities is well aligned with these goals. The creation of Pre-K-8 schools eliminates at least one transition; provides more continuity for education and social emotional support; and creates a longer continuum for family connections.
ADVANTAGES AND OPPORTUNITIES
When planning to transition towards a Pre-K-8 grade configuration, it is critical to consider a wide variety of factors that can impact the successful implementation of this approach. Through research, investigation and interviews with principals and administrators, the Providence school planning team was able to identify both advantages and challenges that could help inform the district’s implementation. Research provided examples of desirable shortterm outcomes of Pre-K-8s in other parts of the country, including a strengthened sense of continuity; improved academic achievement; increased parental involvement; minimized transitions; enduring connections between staff and students; opportunities for shared knowledge and collaboration; and a coordinated curriculum across all grades.1
Although K-8 research is ongoing and still growing, studies suggest that students in small cohorts for long spans of time tend to experience more desirable educational outcomes.2 In addition to the academic benefits, the Pre-K-8 grade configuration allows teachers and staff an opportunity to feel more connected to each other and the community in which they work. Pre-K-8 schools also have had beneficial impacts on student behavior, student self-perception and dropout rates.
One administrator at a K-8 school in Oklahoma City noted that middlelevel students who share a building with younger students “not only watch their language but take a protective attitude toward the little ones.”3 Another study found that students from K-8 schools exhibited higher selfesteem and positive self-perception than their peers from traditional middle schools.4
Research also identified some of the challenges and opportunities that other districts have encountered in implementing Pre-K-8 schools, with an eye to ensuring that leaders in Providence can plan ahead to avoid similar issues. One critical issue is ensuring that the older students have an opportunity to develop a distinct culture and have access to offerings and space to satisfy their developmental needs. For example, while there is a clear positive benefit to minimizing school transitions, it is important to provide students with\ milestones that mark their progress and to help them feel a part of smaller learning communities with similarly aged peers.
Another concern that some community members shared was having older students and younger students together and the risk for behavioral issues and bullying. In order to address this concern,
and consistent with best practices, Providence Pre-K-8 school will be organized into smaller learning communities that separate younger students from the older students. Shared spaces, where necessary, will be carefully designed and scheduled to manage travel interactions and reduce opportunities for any issues to arise.
IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES AND IMPACTS
The planning team understands that successful implementation of Pre-K-8 extends from the design of the school to operations to teaching and learning. David Hough, the long-time dean of Missouri State University’s College of Education who first introduced the term “elemiddle,” explains that the integration of effective elementary and middle school programming should include “promising practices such as teaming, cross-age tutoring, integrated inquiry-based teaching and learning strategies, intramural sport programs and cooperative learning.”5
As a result, RIDE , PPSD and the City of Providence are using a comprehensive framework for implementing Pre-K-8 schools that considers curricular, instructional, social and community factors. Early feedback from community members and families has informed project planning, including the design of smaller learning communities in the building plans with clear separation between grades. These learning communities are areas of the building that are designed to provide an identifiable and age-appropriate learning environment for each grade level grouping. The Pre-K-8 projects will also provide carefully considered entrances and shared spaces to allow for safe and healthy interactions among students of all ages.
As this work continues, RIDE and PPSD will continue to engage parents and community members to help inform the process, in order to provide the best possible learning environment for all students. Learn more about our development here.
1 Byrnes, V., & Ruby, A. (2007). Comparing achievement between K–8 & middle schools: A large scale empirical study. Baltimore, MD: Center for Social Organization of Schools, Johns Hopkins University.The reference details go here. 2 Alspaugh, J. “Achievement loss associated with the transition to middle school and high school.” Journal of Educational Research, 92:1, 1998. pp.24-25. 3 Hanover Research. “Best Practices in K-8 School Configuration.” District Administration Practice, May 2014. 4 McEwin, C. K., Dickinson, T. S., & Jacobson , M. G. (2005). How effective are K–8 schools for young adolescents? Middle School Journal, 37(1), 24–28. 5 Hough, David. “The Rise of the ‘Elemiddle’ School.” School Administrator, 62:3, 2005.