How can families be assured that their preschool children are learning and developing critical skills at the levels that will ensure a seamless and successful entry into their K-12 journey?  

The Early Years Durham PreK program has found one way to demonstrate this, and the results are pretty remarkable. An assessment of students’ academic progress along with social, emotional, and physical development for the 2024-25 school year found significant growth within  all areas.  

According to the assessment report, “2024-25: A Study of Durham Pre-K Growth,” more than nine in 10 preschool children assessed were achieving at or above expectations in five of six academic or developmental areas, or “domains”.  

Dr. Linda Chappel, Senior Vice President for Triangle Area Child Care Resource and Referral at Early Years, said the Durham PreK team is very pleased with the study’s results, but is quick to  underscore the importance of how the findings can inform continuous improvement for children.  

“This is how a teacher learns about their children’s progress, how they develop lesson plans, and how they will create a strong environment for children,” said Dr. Chappel of the assessments, adding that this study should not be misconstrued as standardized testing.  

“We’re not testing 4-year-olds, but by using this assessment tool, we are seeing how our children are making progress in their journey to kindergarten,” she said. “We’re really looking closely at how our children are growing through the school year and making adjustments to  improve their experiences.”  

Dr. Chappel added that this report honors Durham PreK’s commitment to investing in children’s growth and highlights the Durham community’s commitment to expanding access to high quality  preschool programs across the county.  

“This helps us review our strategies so that the program and the children can have the best experiences,” she said. “This review is also a resource that gives the community confidence in the quality of our preschool programs. We need to honor the financial investments in the program by being accountable.”  

Methodology and Findings  

Durham PreK employs Creative Curriculum®, a developmentally appropriate and research based curriculum used in all classrooms. The SmartTeach GOLD® Assessment tool (a component of Teaching Strategies GOLD®, or TSG) measures the developmental progress of children from birth through third grade. Educators use this tool to monitor preschool students’  progress, support individualized learning, and communicate results with families.

The assessment is based on documentation from teachers regarding children’s progress through notes, photos, and work samples. Data were taken from all Durham PreK children in  publicly funded seats (including NC Pre-K, Durham PreK, Title I, or a combination of these since the program follows a braided funding model). Students were assessed in fall 2024 and again in spring 2025. 

Six “domains” were measured: social-emotional, physical, language, cognitive, literacy and  mathematics. Results were categorized as numbers of students achieving below GOLD ®’s expectations for pre-school students, or as numbers of students meeting or exceeding those expectations. 

Dr. Frederique Yova is Senior Research Manager with Early Years. She and the Durham PreK  team compiled the study from the assessments taken at the program level.  

“As a researcher I was delighted to run the data analysis,” said Dr. Yova. “I was able to ask  questions to the team any time I needed; the TSG assessment is very detailed.” 

Growth findings of the six domains with brief explanations of each are as follows (with an  accompanying chart [or charts] below): 

Social-emotional domain: A child’s ability to manage emotions and build relationships.  Empathy, communication, collaboration, sharing, and self-regulation all figure into this  assessment. Of 744 children assessed in fall 2024, 349 (48 percent) were identified as being  below expectations in this area. In the spring 2025 assessment, that number had plummeted to  43 (6 percent), with a total of 691 children, or 94 percent at or above expectations at the end of  the year. 

Physical domain: Includes “gross motor skills” (running, jumping, climbing) and fine motor  skills (holding a pencil, using scissors, buttoning clothing), all essential for developing physically.  In fall 2024, 336 of 742 children assessed (45 percent) were below expectations. That number  fell to 23 (3 percent) in spring 2025, for a total of 719 children, or 97 percent, at or above expectations. 

Language domain: Communication skills such as speaking, listening, vocabulary, and  grammar. Also expressing needs, asking questions, and successfully sustaining conversations.  Of 740 children assessed, 368 (50 percent) were below expectations in fall 2024. That number was down to 62 (8 percent), with 678 children, or 92 percent, at or above expectations the following spring. 

Cognitive domain: Thinking skills, problem-solving skills, memory skills, and understanding concepts are important in applying knowledge in a variety of situations. In fall 2024, 446 of 744 children assessed (60 percent) were below expectations. This number plunged to 52 (7 percent)  in spring 2025, making 692 children, or 93 percent, at or above expectations. 

Literacy domain: Recognizing letters, the sounds they make, and beginning to learn how to  read and write. These skills are developed through storytelling and working with words. The fall  2024 assessment revealed that 316 of 740 children assessed (43 percent) were below  expectations in the literacy domain. By spring 2025, only 44 children (6 percent) were found to  be below expectations, with 696 children, or 94 percent, at or above grade level. 

Mathematics domain: Counting, measuring, recognizing shapes and patterns, along with basic  addition and subtraction. These skills are crucial in the development of problem-solving and  logical thinking. Of 741 children assessed in fall 2024, 494 (67 percent) were found to be below  expectations in the mathematics domain. That number had fallen to 96 (13 percent) below  expectations, for a total of 645 children, or 87 percent, at or above expectations in the spring  2025 assessment. 

While showing significant improvement, mathematics was the only domain to fall slightly short of  90 percent at or above expectations. Dr. Chappel said there will be a concerted effort around  supporting educators in this area through bolstered professional development around using  storytelling to apply to mathematical concepts.