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Kindergarten entry assessments, when well designed and well used, have the potential to support high-quality equitable learning by guiding instruction and supporting whole child development. However, when poorly designed or misused they can foster poor teaching practices and exacerbate inequity. Some states and districts have developed thoughtful, holistic systems that can be used from preschool through early elementary school to support developmentally appropriate instruction.
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Federal COVID relief packages have allocated more than $176 billion for pandemic-related education needs—the federal government’s largest single investment in schools. In a series of fact sheets, policy experts discuss how states and districts can develop, implement, and refine plans for these funds. One key area is early childhood education, which provides one of the highest returns on investment of any educational spending.
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High-quality early childhood experiences depend upon ongoing formative assessments. High-quality assessments enable teachers to monitor each student’s changing skills and competencies and to tailor instruction to reinforce children’s strengths and support individualized growth. Aggregated assessment data can also be used to identify system-level patterns, strengths, and gaps that can inform equitable resource allocation and investments in early childhood and elementary programs and initiatives.
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Reopening efforts should consider child care and preschool programs alongside k–12. To clarify what is known about COVID-19 transmission in early education programs, LPI researchers synthesized studies from around the world that explore transmission rates and mitigation strategies in these programs. They found that, when appropriate health and safety precautions are in place, there is no increased risk of contracting COVID-19.
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Despite the long-term benefits of early childhood education (ECE) and widespread public support for ECE programs, many children lack access to integrated, inclusive early learning experiences before kindergarten. To build a high-quality, equitable ECE system, federal policymakers can use the tools and resources at their disposal to support state and local efforts to meet the needs of children and families.
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The COVID-19 pandemic has forced childcare and preschool providers around the country to temporarily close their doors and financial burdens may force thousands of centers to shut down permanently. This could lead to the loss of as many as 450,000 child care slots, jeopardize efforts to reopen the economy, and undermine the development of our youngest learners.
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Three California-based programs offer promising models for recruiting and preparing diverse cohorts of early educators through innovative and affordable pathways. These successful programs provide valuable lessons for policymakers and others interested in ensuring that all children have teachers who meet high standards and reflect the racial, ethnic, cultural, and linguistic diversity of students and their families.
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As California prepares to make major investments in its early childhood education workforce, three programs offer promising models for recruiting and preparing educators through innovative, affordable pathways. These successful programs provide lessons for the state's policymakers about how to ensure all children have teachers who meet high standards and reflect the racial, ethnic, cultural, and linguistic diversity of children and their families.
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The first years of a child’s life provide a foundation for long-term health and well-being. As states consider policy proposals to update credential or degree requirements for early childhood educators, they can look to promising programs and state policies that recruit and prepare diverse cohorts of educators to teach in early childhood education programs. This report includes case studies of distinct approaches offering innovative, affordable pathways to preparation for diverse candidates.
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Two studies create a through line from children to practitioners to policy, describing the essential skills required for young children to be kindergarten ready, the skills educators need to teach them, and effective policies and practices for early educator preparation.
