Comparisons to Other ECLS Studies
Like its predecessor studies, the ECLS-K:2024 is exceptionally broad in its scope and coverage of child development, early learning, and school progress, drawing together information from multiple sources to provide rich data about the population of children in the United States who were in kindergarten in the 2023–24 school year. Also like the other ECLS kindergarten cohort studies, the ECLS-K:2024 will provide comprehensive and reliable data about children's early learning and development, transition into kindergarten and beyond, and progress through elementary grades, as well as data relevant to emerging policy-related issues. The data collected over the course of the study will allow researchers, policymakers, and educators to examine how child, home, classroom, school, and community factors at various points in the child's life relate to development. The study will provide comprehensive and reliable data that can be used to inform public discussion and policies related to early and elementary education.
Comparison to the ECLS-K:
- While all three ECLS kindergarten cohort studies include nationally representative samples of children and schools in the base (kindergarten) year, like only the ECLS-K to date, the ECLS-K:2024 also includes a nationally representative sample of kindergarten teachers in the base year.
- The ECLS-K:2024 will include most of the same rounds as the ECLS-K. However, there are not current plans to include a fifth- or eighth-grade collection.
Comparison to the ECLS-K:2011:
- Like the ECLS-K:2011, the ECLS-K:2024 will include executive function assessments. However, the ECLS-K:2024 will not be including the science assessments included in the ECLS-K:2011. Also, the ECLS-K:2011 included the collection of both height and weight data and hearing evaluations data; the ECLS-K:2024 is only including height and weight collection, in selected rounds.
New to the ECLS-K:2024:
- The ECLS-K:2024 is the first ECLS study to use web-based data collection. In prior ECLS program studies, parents completed telephone interviews while teachers and school administrators completed paper and pencil questionnaires. In the ECLS-K:2024, all adult respondents will first be asked to complete their study surveys online, with the other study modes as secondary modes.
- The ECLS-K:2024 is the first ECLS program study occurring after the COVID-19 pandemic. It will provide important information about the experiences of children whose early lives were shaped by the COVID-19 pandemic.
