Head Start has long focused on assessing and improving program quality to ensure that the children served receive the best possible preparation for school and life. Most research has been focused inside the classroom--the classroom environment, teacher qualifications, and teacher interactions. Of course, the classroom is important because that is…

Available resources and indicators of high quality inclusive practices are presented in this compilation. Assembling many different resources in one place allows for easy comparison of potential indicators of quality. Excerpts and adaptations of the resources are intended to provide some familiarity with the content of each resource and encourage…

Early childhood education can level the academic playing field for Latino children entering school by supporting what parents are doing at home to teach their children the skills necessary to succeed. Yet, only 20% of Latino children under the age of 5 are enrolled in preschool. Many Latinos don't understand why early childhood education is…

Recognizing that children's earliest years are critical, stakeholders in Delaware have joined together to define what types of experiences children should ideally have before they enter kindergarten. A statewide committee with policymakers, parents, and representatives from the early care and education community, schools, higher education, and…

Studies confirm the educational advantages and cost-effectiveness of high-quality early childhood programs and have made more persuasive the argument for developing such programs. The most important determinants of such programs are: group size, qualifications and training of staff, stability of care, and adult-child ratio. (MD)

Recognition of the significance of early years has heightened interest and support for early childhood programs. Prevention steps designed to reduce the number of children who arrive at school with inadequate literacy-related knowledge would considerably reduce the number of children with reading difficulties. While there is great potential for…

Effective teaching leads to positive student outcomes, and professional development for early childhood teachers is key to improving both. But what exactly is meant by "professional development"? What effect does it have on school readiness? Which models and approaches really work? This is the book the early childhood field needs to take the…

Conducted at a time when increasing numbers of the nation's young children are in child care and when the American public is concerned about children's readiness for school, the Cost, Quality, and Child Outcomes Study provides the first comprehensive econometric and psychometric analysis of child care and children's outcomes. The study was…

This document presents an action plan developed by the Minnesota Early Care and Education Finance Commission during two years of study and deliberation to finance a state early care and education system that supports families and is focused on school readiness. Recommendations are presented in three categories: (1) more time and tools for better…

This final report describes: (1) a model designed to help the transition of young children with special needs from early childhood programs into regular kindergarten and other regular education environments; and (2) the impact of TEEM (Transition into the Elementary Education Mainstream) Outreach in disseminating and replicating the model…

As part of efforts to improve school readiness by enhancing the quality of early childhood education, the state of Maryland developed standards for the use of staff in center-based child care and Head Start programs to mirror the standards in place for public school prekindergarten programs as well as a state accreditation process for center-based…

The future of Head Start depends on how well people learn from and apply the lessons from its past. That's why everyone involved in early education needs this timely, forward-thinking book from the leader of Head Start. The first book to capture the Head Start debates in all their complexity and diversity, this landmark volume brings together the…