This book overturns the typical conception of standards, empowering educators by providing concrete examples of how top-down models of assessment can be embraced and used in ways that are consistent with critical pedagogies. Although standards, as broad frameworks for setting learning targets, are not necessarily problematic, when they are…

There is a growing movement in the early childhood advocacy community to address the dual problems of quality and compensation by turning to a credential with a much different track record: the bachelor's degree. The B.A. is already the foundational degree for K-12 educators, after all, and people who have bachelor's degrees earn much more than…

High-quality early childhood education has tremendous potential to improve children's and families' lives. Yet access to such education remains limited, and many early childhood educators lack the skills and credentials to improve quality in the field. To address these issues, advocates and a growing number of states have sought to extend the…

Early childhood is a critical time for cognitive, social, and behavioral development. Many states have invested in comprehensive early childhood care and education systems that offer a wide range of supports and services to families from the prenatal period through school entry. Home visiting programs are an important component of state early…

The history of American early education is one of changing roles and goals. As federal engagement in early childhood has shifted in response to social, political, and economic needs, few policy efforts have focused on long-term planning or coordination. The authors identify the appropriate roles of federal, state, and local governments and make 13…

With the passage of P.L. 94-142, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975, now the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and subsequent amendments, states and jurisdictions have made great strides in the provision of services to young children, ages 3 through 5 years, with disabilities. As of Fall 2007, America's…

This annual report provides a review of Colorado Children's Campaign's accomplishments in 2010. The report is comprised of the following sections: (1) Letter from President and CEO; (2) About Us: 2010 in Review; (3) Child Health; (4) Early Childhood Development; (5) K-12 Education; (6) Fiscal Policy and Budget Analysis; (7) 2010 Legislative…

With no single definition of how publicly-funded programs for preschool children with disabilities should define or measure success, states are struggling to develop accountability systems that demonstrate results and understand how to best serve children and families. This report summarizes a new paper, "Issues in Designing State…

This study investigated how a set of newly developed indicators of early learning and teaching by the government, which was based on western ideology of child learning, was implemented in a Chinese context like Hong Kong. Twelve early childhood settings of 5747 children and 284 staff volunteered to implement the indicators within two years and the…

The Ministry of Education "2011/2012 Annual Service Plan Report" outlines achievements during the fiscal year ending March 31, 2012. This report reflects the Ministry's progress over the past year, including the launch of British Columbia's Education Plan, the expansion of StrongStart BC early learning programs, the full implementation…

At Montessori schools, students are given tasks called "practical life" exercises. In these exercises, students learn to take care of themselves and their environment. Students at the Robert Goddard Montessori School are also familiar with the drill of workbooks, testing sheets, and homework--features that would never be part of a…

This article draws on data from a single element of a larger project which focused on the issue of "touching" between education and child care professionals and children in a number of settings. This case study looks at a school once internationally renowned as the exemplar of "free" schooling. The authors consider how the…

To ensure the best possible outcomes for young children with and without disabilities, early childhood educators must enter the classroom ready to conduct all types of early childhood assessment--including determining if children need additional services, planning and monitoring instruction, and determining program effectiveness. They'll get the…

Improving mathematics and science learning is of great concern to educators and policymakers. Because early experiences affect later education outcomes, providing young children with research-based mathematics and science learning opportunities is likely to pay off with increased achievement, literacy, and work skills in these critical areas. This…

The work of teacher candidates matters in particular ways to the quality of children's experiences and environments when they teach in preschools. We conducted a mixed-method study with survey, interviews, focus groups, and photographic documentation of classroom spaces, and theorized findings through Bahktin's dialogism and the notion of figured…