This digest discusses the findings of empirical studies on teacher-directed and child-initiated preschool programs. Three long-term preschool curriculum comparison studies--the High/Scope Preschool Curriculum Comparison, the Louisville Head Start Study, and the University of Illinois Study--were started in the 1970s. These studies indicated that…

This document reproduces selected information from the U.S. Department of Education's "Twenty-Second Annual Report to Congress on the Implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act" (2000). These selections consist of text and data tables related to programs for young children with disabilities and their families under…

This final report discusses the outcomes of a 4-year federally funded project designed to identify children in Montana who are deaf-blind and to provide training and technical assistance to improve the quality of special education and related services in Montana for children ages birth through 21 who are deaf-blind. The project was devised to meet…

The Georgia Prekindergarten Program was established in 1993 to provide the state's 4-year-olds with high-quality preschool experiences. The Early Childhood Study followed the development of young children attending programs funded through the Prekindergarten (Pre-K) Program or Head Start and children eligible for the Pre-K program attending…

Early childhood programs have been shown to enhance school readiness, increase the efficacy of investments in primary schools and human capital formation, foster beneficial social behavior and, thereby, lessen social welfare costs, and promote community development. The World Bank has directed investment toward young children, including supporting…

This monograph explores the research findings and experiential knowledge base on toddlers and preschool-age children who were prenatally exposed to alcohol and other drugs. It is designed to influence public policy relating to the needs and early intervention plans for this population, from the medical, child welfare, psychosocial, developmental,…

Growing Up Strong (GUS) is a curriculum designed to develop strong mental health in preschool through sixth grade students. This document contains a GUS teacher's guide for preschool classrooms and masters of materials that can be sent home with preschool children to promote family involvement in GUS. Part I of the four-part teacher's guide…

This volume explores legal issues that serve as foundations for quality active leisure participation by persons with disabilities. In addition to documenting details of the Americans with Disabilities Act (1990), playground and equipment standards and guidelines, and American Camping Assoication standards, it presents specific information on risk…

The Learning with East Aurora Families (LEAF) Project was a 1-year family literacy program developed and implemented by Waubonsee Community College in Sugar Grove, Illinois. It recruited 51 parents and other significant adults of 4- and 5-year-olds enrolled in at-risk programs. Each of the 4-week sessions were divided into 5 components: adult…

A discussion of language in preschool education reviews research findings on children's language acquisition and its relationship to their general development and examines issues to be considered in making decisions for each community and program. The first section summarizes basic knowledge about preschool language development, facilitating…

This guide is designed primarily for use by personnel involved in North Dakota public school programs for preschool-age handicapped children (ages 3-5). It is also intended to provide parents and personnel in health, human services, and other child service agencies with an understanding of the scope and purpose of educational services for young…

Modeled on a similar study conducted in Scotland, this study reports on preschool children in two cities of England's Midlands Region (Birmingham and Coventry). Subjects had special needs including physical, mental, behavioral, speech, and second language problems; in addition, some were gifted. A survey identified children with special needs in…

The establishment of bilingual/bicultural programs for Puerto Rican preschool children in the United States is discussed. The rationale for and importance of bilingual education, the training of teachers, and the acquisition of materials and needs assessment are treated in some detail. An extensive outline for curriculum design is presented, and…

This volume includes reports of two research projects of the Kansas Center for Research in Early Childhood Education. The first project, entitled Individual Analysis of Reading Prerequisites and Curriculum Content, is represented by two studies: (1) A Study of a Pretraining Program and Its Effect on a Subsequent Program for a Left-Right…

Those who advocate for developmentally appropriate practice (DAP) do so based on the conviction that these classroom practices enhance children's development and facilitate learning. This ERIC Digest examines recent research on DAP and social-emotional and cognitive development, and describes what we have learned about DAP in early childhood…