ST. PAUL — New research from the University of Minnesota shows children who attend all-day preschool are better prepared for kindergarten than those who don’t.

Early childhood education advocates said the results show Minnesota should invest more in preschool programs. They said the move could help narrow the achievement gap between white and minority students in Minnesota.

Researchers compared students who attended preschool seven hours a day to those who attended three-hour programs, and then tested them to see if they were socially and academically prepared for kindergarten. The U of M team determined 81 percent of all-day preschoolers were ready, compared to 59 percent of half-day preschoolers.

The study’s lead author said the results are clear, students learn more the based on the amount of time they spend in preschool.