The influence of early childhood teacher certification on kindergarten and first-grade students' academic outcomes

There is considerable variation in state policies related to the certification required for teachers in kindergarten and first grade, and relatively little is known about these policies' effects on student learning. This study considers whether children who have kindergarten and first-grade teachers with certification in early childhood education (ECE) experience greater gains in reading and math compared to children whose teachers have only elementary education certification, using data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Kindergarten cohort (ECLS-K). Results suggest that the ECE certification of the kindergarten has a small, positive effect on children's academic gains. Implications and future directions for research and policy are discussed based on the findings.