| Summary: | Mastering reading by the end of third grade has long been recognized as a critical milestone in success in later grades. Hernandez (2011) found that only 4 percent of students showing proficiency in reading at grade 3 failed to graduate from high school as compared to 16 percent of those who are not reading at grade level. There exists a disagreement among researchers as to the effect of the length of the day in kindergarten programming on early literacy skill development, particularly on the longitudinal effects (Meyer, Wardrop, Hastings, & Linn, 1993; Nunnelly, 1996; Watson & West, 2004; West, Denton & Reaney, 2001). With the current emphasis on accountability and the fiscal demands to balance budgets by cutting unnecessary or unsuccessful programs, providing our students with the most effective programming possible is imperative.
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