Using rich longitudinal data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Kindergarten cohort (ECLS-K), we find that children who attended preschool enter public schools with higher levels of academic skills than their peers who experienced other types of child care (effect size of 0.14). This study considers the circumstances under which the…

As Universal Pre-K efforts sweep the nation, so does the development of state standards that define the skills and the knowledge that young children should be developing. The goal of these standards is to ensure the school readiness of all students. While the goals mentioned in this article are taken from the New Jersey Department of Education's…

This research investigated the effects of two contrasting pre-k curricula, relative to practice as usual, on subsequent academic achievement. One curriculum had a strong literacy focus, the other was a less didactic "developmentally appropriate" curriculum that allowed children to have more influence on classroom activities. The purpose…

This report is the latest in a series of reports investigating the link between high quality early childhood education and economic development. Longitudinal research from national experts indicates that high quality early childhood programs are likely to impart significant social, academic, and economic benefits to the children who participate,…

As the nation struggles to get back on its feet economically, the colleges and universities are working harder than ever to fulfill their mission: to educate the next generation of workers and citizens. In the West that task is arguably more challenging than elsewhere. The region is highly diverse in terms of both demographics and geography, with…

President Obama has proposed creation of up to 20 "Promise Neighborhoods" in communities experiencing poverty, crime, and low student achievement. Promise Neighborhoods would engage children and parents within a defined geographic area in a multifaceted strategy to meet several goals: good physical and mental health for every child, enrollment in…

This document is one of eight reports prepared to support the development of a new learning system, a development effort that is the first step in a major initiative undertaken by the Stupski Foundation. This document synthesizes recent research and theoretical literature on the special learning needs of urban, underserved students, whom are…

In British Columbia, Canada, two population-based databases have been linked at the level of the individual child: the "Early Development Instrument", a Kindergarten school readiness measure; and the "Foundation Skills Assessment", a Grade Four academic assessment. Utilising these linked data, we explored the early school…

In 2005, the Stuart Foundation funded two of its grantees--the Center for the Future of Teaching and Learning and Mental Health Advocacy Services, Inc.--to both model and achieve greater collaboration between the public education and child welfare sectors. The two organizations share a philosophical commitment to narrowing the profound gaps…

Because of the substantial impact on outcomes for children, states and school districts across the country are addressing issues surrounding early learning opportunities and school readiness for young children. Full-day kindergarten plays an important role in both. Colorado has made significant investments in full-day kindergarten as a means of…

In order to investigate the teachers and parents' perceptions of school readiness, 218 parents and 370 teachers were surveyed. Based on the areas of "physical well-being and motor development", "social and emotional development", "approaches to learning", "language use", "cognition and general…

This study examined the multiple factors that contribute to the school readiness and early school progress of children living in an urban disadvantaged area. Structured interviews were undertaken with parents of children who had recently started school to elicit information about those aspects of children's health, and their home and neighbourhood…

This study queried 592 parents in Florida, Kansas, and New Jersey regarding their children's upcoming transition to preschool or kindergarten. Children of 222 of the parents had disabilities. Families were selected randomly from preschool programs on state lists. Parents responded to 29 items using a 4-point Likert scale and to 3 open-ended…

The report presents the results of a longitudinal study that sought to determine if children who participated in Head Start preschool programs demonstrated higher levels of achievement in elementary school, as evidenced by scores on the Stanford Achievement Test in third-grade and first-grade teacher reports. The study involved students who…

The A.I.M. (Avondale Integrative Model) Program of Avondale School District in Auburn Hills, Michigan, is a developmental, language-based, preschool program, combining federally funded Head Start and district-funded Pre-Primary Impaired programs. The program is designed to utilize a developmentally appropriate curriculum in order to successfully…