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January 17, 2019

Webinar: Untangling the Evidence on Preschool Effectiveness, A Preview

Cover photo for Untangling the Evidence on Preschool Effectiveness: Insights for Policymakers

The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this video belong solely to the speakers, and do not necessarily reflect the perspective of the Learning Policy Institute.

On Thursday, January 17, the Learning Policy Institute hosted this webinar to preview the report, Untangling the Evidence on Preschool Effectiveness: Insights for Policymakers. This report reviews the research on preschool’s effectiveness in improving academic and life outcomes of children who participate in programs, including the mixed results of two large and often-cited evaluations of preschool programs. By putting those findings into context with the larger body of research, the report shows that high-quality preschool, in comparison to no preschool, enhances children’s school readiness, and it can have lasting impacts far into children’s later years of school and life.
 
Our goal is to guide policymakers to look beyond the question of whether preschool works, and instead focus on how to implement preschool programs that will deliver on its promise. To that end, the webinar also included a discussion of the state models featured in On The Road to High Quality Early Learning: Changing Children’s Lives, which demonstrate how the elements of high-quality early learning can be successfully implemented in public preschool programs.
 
Speakers

  • Linda Darling-Hammond, President, Learning Policy Institute
  • Madelyn Gardner, Research and Policy Associate, Learning Policy Institute, and co-author, Untangling the Evidence on Preschool Effectiveness: Insights for Policymakers
  • Beth Meloy, Senior Researcher and Policy Analyst, Learning Policy Institute, and co-author, Untangling the Evidence on Preschool Effectiveness: Insights for Policymakers
  • Marjorie Wechsler, Principal Research Manager, Learning Policy Institute, and co-author, On The Road to High Quality Early Learning: Changing Children’s Lives