How does stress impact our littlest learners?
EarlyStories had a chance to participate in a fascinating radio discussion recently that looked at the role stress plays in the lives of young children and how it impacts their brains and their learning. Turns out too much of it can lead to learning disabilities and a range of problems. The experts on the BAm!radio [...]
A mixed picture for pre-k expansion in tough times
Pre-kindergarten may still be at the top of political agendas, but financing it is proving more challenging in tough economic times. The Pew Center on the States found evidence that many U.S. governors are trying to protect their investment in pre-kindergarten, despite a difficulty economy and steep budget cuts in other areas. “In spite of [...]
A report that’s bad timing for Head Start
Congressional testimony on Tuesday revealed some alarming evidence of fraud at federally funded Head Start centers, at a time when some concerns and questions are being asked about a program established some 45 years ago by President Lyndon Johnson. Prompted by anonymous tips to a fraud hotline, investigators with the Government Accountability Office (GAO) found [...]
Your kid got into kindergarten! Wait, there’s been a mistake!
In the highly charged world of kindergarten admissions in New York City, parents — and the press — are likely to be watching every move the New York City Department of Education makes. Hundreds of children are on waiting lists to get into their neighborhood public school, with not enough slots available. Anxiety is high. [...]
Why the impact of low quality childcare lasts long beyond childhood
One of the most frustrating and difficult aspects of early childhood education — and child care — in the U.S. is the lack of quality. Advocates and academics alike have called for all kinds of ways to improve pre-school programs with higher standards . They’ve called for better teacher training and higher standards for day [...]
Resources for following reauthorization and its impact on early ed
At a time when early childhood advocates have experienced a few setbacks, all hopes are on reauthorization of what was once No Child Left Behind – and is now more commonly referred to as the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) for a variety of reasons. There has yet to be a clear outline of [...]
Will South Dakota ever see public pre-k on the prairie?
EarlyStories has for years followed the missing saga of pre-kindergarten education in South Dakota, one of 12 states with no publicly funded program. Efforts to fund any kind of pre-k program in this rural state have hit more than a few roadblocks . It would be fascinating to spend some time traveling around and speaking [...]
Full-day Head Start pre-k gets results in Maryland, study shows
What happens when students get a chance to attend a full-day of a Head Start prekindergarten program instead of a half day? They are more likely to become better readers and to need less in the way of special education services once they get to kindergarten, according to a study released by Montgomery County Public [...]
A look at the gains in an all-English classroom
California educates about 1.6 million, or nearly a third, of the nation’s 5.1 million English language learners, so it is often looked at as a trend-setting state. That’s one reason why it was interesting to read about what happened in Carol Decker’s pre-school class in the Santa Clarita Valley, where the four-year-olds who showed up [...]
Should young children be allowed to fail?
EarlyStories had a chance to take part in a fascinating discussion with top educators recently on the Bam Radio Network, who were asked just how much young children should be allowed to stumble, fall — and yes, fail. Failure isn’t an easy word for parents or for educators, especially at a time when a push [...]
