This chapter comparatively analyzes the most recent national curriculum guidelines for early childhood education (ECE) in Norway, Finland, China, and Hong Kong. By exploring the aims and dominant concepts in the guidelines, we aspire to better understand how governments of different cultures utilize the dominant concepts, that is, play and…

The article proposes more consideration of preventive services as a viable alternative to current service delivery models for special education services. Primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention services are described. Reasons for more preventive service delivery systems are identified and the research on risk and child development is reviewed.…

The Department of Defense (DoD) is committed to meeting the need for child care among military families. DoD supports the largest employer-sponsored system of high-quality child care in the country. Through accredited child development centers (CDCs), family child care (FCC) homes, youth centers, and other after-school programs, DoD currently…

A growing body of research focuses on resilient children--those who have persevered in the wake of terrible experiences and gone on to do well in school. Researchers suggest that school boards should become committed to raising academic standards; encouraging volunteers to serve as mentors; and keeping extracurricular activities. (MLF)

This paper presents information to assist in the planning and development of policy related to the education of very young children with disabilities. The paper first considers research-supported reasons for providing early childhood intervention services based on effectiveness data from many sources. Subsequent sections examine: (1)…

In 1988 the Education Reform Act was passed in England. Among its clauses, the one that laid the framework for a centralized, national curriculum represented the most significant change. One of the key aspects of the national curriculum concerned the way in which student achievement and progress were to be measured. Attainment was to be assessed…

Summarizes the benefits of early childhood education programs offering new hope to disadvantaged children and long-range savings to taxpayers. Reviews major issues concerning public preschool education, including funding, eligibility, need for high quality programs with a child development emphasis, adequate staffing, and appropriate child and…

This issue brief discusses the most recent and reliable research on early care and education and its implications for policy making. The brief summarizes recent discoveries about early brain development and then reviews research evaluating: (1) child care; (2) small-scale model early education programs providing enriched services to disadvantaged…

This report discusses research related to the educational potential of 3-2-1 CONTACT, a PBS (Public Broadcasting Service) series on science and technology, which was produced by the Children's Television Workshop for a primary target audience of 8- to 12-year-olds in both home and school settings. Conducted over a 6-year period (1977-83), this…

Driven in part by research findings in early childhood development, the academic, business, and policy communities now recognize that high-quality preschool programs are an important way to help children reach their full potential. Although some current research suggests that teacher preparation at the four-year college degree level is the best…

Reports on a study of the role of pupil age in scholastic performance among 4,123 Maltese primary-age students. Finds a strong and consistent age effect in Maltese, English, and mathematics achievement in three grade levels. Also finds that girls consistently outperformed boys in the three subjects. (CFR)

Argues that it is essential for preschool education to explore environmental and ecological values. Discusses cognitive development of socio-ecological knowledge at three age levels. Asserts that folk tales provide good examples of ecological values because beauty usually triumphs over ugliness and good over evil. (CFR)

As the amount of resources allocated to out-of-school (OST) programming and policymakers' demands for research-based results increase, there is increasing interest in rigorous research designs to examine OST program outcomes. This issue of "Out-of-School Time Evaluation Snapshots" reviews 27 quasi-experimental and experimental OST…

Meeting nutritional needs of children in West Virginia is vital to the state's economic development. A malnourished, uneducable population will be unemployable in a high tech society and the state cannot afford custodial and welfare costs resulting from childhood malnutrition. Evidence of nutritional need in West Virginia includes low rate of…

Maternal and child health practitioners often approach systemic change in a very practical manner: fostering a collaborative vision, engaging critical stakeholders, working with policymakers on reform, and bringing the data and experience to inform the process. Systems are often maintained at a status quo due to deep, ingrained structures,…