The purpose of this correlational study was to investigate the relationship between the quality of the Early Childhood Education (ECE) programs for students who attended a Prekindergarten (PK) program, and for students who did not attend a Pre-kindergarten program from a rural school district located in South Carolina. The population of students in this research study was approximately 774. Research indicates that early learning is critical to the growth and development of young children during the early stages of their lives. According to the data analysis conducted in this research from several Elementary Schools located from the rural school district there was no significant difference in students who attended prekindergarten and those students who did not attend prekindergarten as it related to their gender, preschool, ethnicity, family structure, and kindergarten readiness. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]