The eight early childhood educators who participated in this study were admitted into a 60-credit statewide distance-delivered Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree program at the University of Alaska. All eight educators were women of Alaska Native ancestry who lived and worked in remote and rural Native communities. Seven of these teachers…

The primary aim of this paper is to advance an argument for restructuring Alaska's primary school programs, a change that is considered to be urgently needed. A second purpose is to explain the elements that are part of a restructured primary school's learning program. A third purpose is to indicate primary school restructuring models currently…

School-based early childhood centers are high-quality programs using approaches to instruction based on recognized principles of child development and learning for children 3 to 8 years old. The centers are characterized by the active involvement of parents and the community and by a commitment to smooth transitions from home to school and through…

Effective strategies for developing early childhood centers in public schools are discussed in this paper, which draws from a research-based literature search and intensive case studies of six Northwest sites. The sites represent a range of rural, suburban, and urban programs; large and small schools; and a variety of program features. The sites…

This report describes four innovative and culturally responsive early childhood education programs in Montana, Washington, Alaska, and Oregon. The introduction discusses developmentally appropriate early education and effective teaching practices. The report devotes one chapter to each site, with profiles and "close-ups" of selected…