Parents, policymakers, business leaders, and the general public increasingly recognize the importance of the first few years in the life of a child for promoting healthy physical, emotional, social, and intellectual development. Whether the evidence comes from sophisticated research by brain scientists or the simple observation of the…

A school district located in the southern region of the United States is implementing the Reading Recovery (RR) Program in 10 elementary schools. The RR program is an initiative to help elementary schools improve student learning, especially in the area of reading. A broad literature review framed this quantitative investigation. The overall…

This guide, requested by principals across the nation, is intended to help them successfully implement Reading Recovery in their schools. The guide is organized by topics that experienced principals have said are important to ongoing program operation. To help access information quickly, a detailed table of contents is provided, as well as an…

In the fourth grade, 38% of all children have reading skills below the "basic" level, according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress. Many of these students are recommended for special education services because of their reading difficulties. Recent research on reading difficulties in young children demonstrates that early…

This digest in Spanish discusses student profiling and describes strategies for reducing the risk of violence in schools. "Student profiling" refers to a process in which checklists of behaviors and personal characteristics associated with youth who have perpetrated violence are used to determine a student's potential for future…

How can early childhood professionals seamlessly link assessment, goal development, intervention, and evaluation for children from birth to age 5--while developing individualized IEP/IFSP goals, creating multiple and varied learning opportunities, and working as a team? The third edition of this highly respected resource has the answers. A classic…

Boys may follow various developmental pathways that lead to increasingly disruptive and delinquent behavior. To most parents, teachers, youth workers, mental health professionals, and juvenile justice practitioners, the development of disruptive and delinquent behavior in boys may appear erratic and unpredictable. This bulletin summarizes…

Smart Start is North Carolina's model early childhood initiative to help all North Carolina children enter school healthy and prepared for success. This resource guide, in Spanish and English versions, is designed to provide parents with information on infant and child development, health care, and resources for further assistance. Presented in an…

In the report of her consultation visit to South Carolina, Dr. Marie Clay noted: "A school has reached full implementation when that school has sufficient hours of trained teacher time available to serve all the children defined by that school as needing Reading Recovery." This article explains how one teacher pursued local answers to…

This paper presents an overview of recent findings relating to the influence of genetics on reading disability. The paper questions the appropriateness of the etiology of reading disability and its possible relevance to remediation. It finds that early identification of children who are at risk of reading failure due to a genetic cause could help…

This newsletter issue provides an overview of the book, "Critical Thinking about Critical Periods," which discusses the neural and behavioral sciences that undergird the notion of "windows of opportunity" in early brain development. The issue presents the book's table of contents; the major sections are: (1) "Critical…

This guide is intended to be a resource for parents of children with special needs who want to improve the early intervention system in North Carolina for their own children and for the whole community. By informing parents about resources that are available for children and families, the guide empowers parents as leaders. Annotated lists of…

Universal prekindergarten (UPK) refers to the goal of making available to families of all 3- and 4-year-olds a program of services that provides high quality education for children and helps to prepare them for a successful entry to kindergarten. Virtually every state is engaged in discussions about prekindergarten programs, and many models are…

This report provides a description of a national consultation that was undertaken in 2001-2002 to provide feedback on two companion national policy documents: "National Action Plan for Promotion, Prevention and Early Intervention for Mental Health 2000" and "Promotion, Prevention and Early Intervention for Mental Health: A…

The issue of youth homelessness in Australia is examined in the context of relevant social and educational policies. The exploration is based on 8 years of research into the situation of homeless youth in Australia involving several studies, including a study of school students in 9 communities and field visits to 100 schools. In 1994, researchers…