The Hechinger Report – Alyssa Auck
“In the world of early learning policy, the disconnect between pre-K and K-3 policy is a popular topic of discussion. Birth to age 8 represents a critically important window of opportunity to develop a child’s full potential and to shape key academic, social, emotional and cognitive skills. A child’s experiences during these years can set them up for future success, or for failure, thereby exacerbating the achievement gap. Pre-K quality and accessibility have received much attention over the past 15 to 20 years and state and federal policymakers continue to allocate resources and prescribe policies geared toward ensuring high-quality pre-K experiences. While these efforts have provided a strong foundation for student success, it is important to simultaneously focus on improving the quality of the K-3 years. Without giving due attention to the quality of K-3, we are missing an opportunity to continue the positive momentum created by improved pre-K experiences.”(more)