School and district administrators, as well as policymakers, are increasingly recognizing that early education and intervention services for young children have a direct and positive impact on later school performance and quality of life. But which programs and services should be operated and funded? To answer that question, this book highlights the principles that characterize effective practices and programs for children ages 3-8. Written specifically for busy administrators, this book synthesizes what works, what doesn't, and what we still need to know based on the reviews of scientific literature by an expert panel of contributors. Key topics include: (1) Definition and assessment of readiness of children and schools; (2) Early intervention for children in poverty, English language learners, and students with special needs; (3) Publicly funded, home-based, school-age, and out-of-schooltime programs; and (4) The future of personnel preparation and professional development. The result is a highly readable presentation of the evidence needed to make informed practice, program, and policy decisions in early care and education. Following a foreword and introduction, this book is divided into three parts. Part I, Evidence-Based Practices, presents: (1) School Readiness: Definitions, Best Practices, Assessments, and Cost (Kelly E. Mehaffie and Jeffery Fraser); (2) Early Intervention Practices for Children with and at Risk for Delays (Louise Kaczmarek and Christina J. Groark); and (3) Best Practices for Transitions into Kindergarten (Kelly E. Mehaffie and Mary Wolfson). Part II, Evidence-Based Programs, continues with: (4) Publicly-Funded Programs and Their Benefits for Children Ages 3-5 (Wendy M. Barnard); (5) Demonstration Programs and Successful Outcomes (Wendy M. Barnard and Christina J. Groark); (6) Home-Based and Family Child Care Programs: Characteristics and Quality Issues (Richard Fiene and Martha Woodward Isler); (7) School-Age Services: Programs that Extend the Benefits of Early Care and Education Services (Suh-Ruu Ou and Arthur J. Reynolds); and (8) Out-of-School Time Programs that Promote Academic and Behavioral Achievement for Children Ages 6 to 8 (Anne E. Farber). Part III, The Future of the Field, concludes with: (9) Professional Development and Higher Education Systems to Develop Qualified Early Childhood Educators (Gwen Morgan and Jeffery Fraser). An index is also included.