Early childhood
development and education has been a major topic of discussion and planning at all
levels—federal, state, and local communities — not only because of the
widespread recognition of the research base on the importance of early
development to long-term schooling
success, but as a critical national investment strategy for the future of
the nation in the 21st Century global economy. In recent years, early childhood
interventions from birth to the early grades have received much attention,
including billions in federal and state spending in early childhood care and education programs. There have been
many advances in research and the knowledge base on what contributes to healthy
development and learning success for all of the increasingly diverse children
growing up in this country. This progress falls far short of a vision and
standards of an educated citizenry in the United States. For example, the
United States lags far behind other leading nations in providing universal
child care and preschool for all children, regardless of family income, social
status, race, or ethnicity. While there is a significant increase in the number
of children attending day care and preschool
programs, access to this care is very inequitably distributed. In addition,
the research base on the quality of these program options is sorely lacking.
The complexity of multiple challenges facing families and their children and
the rich resources that can be mobilized in the service of healthy development
and educational success of this
nation's young children are highlighted in the research base and have
significant implications for policy and practice. An interdisciplinary team of
nationally known scholars and practitioner leaders were commissioned to prepare
background papers to provide knowledge syntheses of what is known from research
and practical applications. The authors were asked to address questions that
are frequently raised in public discussions about new and continuing
investments in early childhood programs, including:
development and education has been a major topic of discussion and planning at all
levels—federal, state, and local communities — not only because of the
widespread recognition of the research base on the importance of early
development to long-term schooling
success, but as a critical national investment strategy for the future of
the nation in the 21st Century global economy. In recent years, early childhood
interventions from birth to the early grades have received much attention,
including billions in federal and state spending in early childhood care and education programs. There have been
many advances in research and the knowledge base on what contributes to healthy
development and learning success for all of the increasingly diverse children
growing up in this country. This progress falls far short of a vision and
standards of an educated citizenry in the United States. For example, the
United States lags far behind other leading nations in providing universal
child care and preschool for all children, regardless of family income, social
status, race, or ethnicity. While there is a significant increase in the number
of children attending day care and preschool
programs, access to this care is very inequitably distributed. In addition,
the research base on the quality of these program options is sorely lacking.
The complexity of multiple challenges facing families and their children and
the rich resources that can be mobilized in the service of healthy development
and educational success of this
nation's young children are highlighted in the research base and have
significant implications for policy and practice. An interdisciplinary team of
nationally known scholars and practitioner leaders were commissioned to prepare
background papers to provide knowledge syntheses of what is known from research
and practical applications. The authors were asked to address questions that
are frequently raised in public discussions about new and continuing
investments in early childhood programs, including:
- What is
the current state of knowledge about the impact of early childhood programs on
learning and development of young children? What works? Who benefits most? What
are the limits of our knowledge?
the current state of knowledge about the impact of early childhood programs on
learning and development of young children? What works? Who benefits most? What
are the limits of our knowledge?
- What
contributes to effective implementation and how is a high degree of
implementation sustained? What conditions increase the quality of program
implementation and effectiveness?
contributes to effective implementation and how is a high degree of
implementation sustained? What conditions increase the quality of program
implementation and effectiveness?
- What are
the implications for policy and program development, modification, and
expansion? How can the best or most promising practices be disseminated to
scale up implementation of quality early
childcare and education programs, particularly for children from
educationally and economically disadvantaged circumstances?
the implications for policy and program development, modification, and
expansion? How can the best or most promising practices be disseminated to
scale up implementation of quality early
childcare and education programs, particularly for children from
educationally and economically disadvantaged circumstances?
Recommendations:
- Access to
public-supported daycare and preschool programs should be universal regardless
of family income, social status, or ethnic and racial backgrounds. These
programs should be full-day, full-year programs that do not distinguish between
childcare and education. Universal access to daycare and preschool education
would attract greater numbers of middle and lower socioeconomic status families
to early childhood programs, which would lead to increased diversity and
ultimately to better quality programs.
The current "you get what you pay for" mentality that exists would be
eliminated and all children would begin their education on a level playing
field.
public-supported daycare and preschool programs should be universal regardless
of family income, social status, or ethnic and racial backgrounds. These
programs should be full-day, full-year programs that do not distinguish between
childcare and education. Universal access to daycare and preschool education
would attract greater numbers of middle and lower socioeconomic status families
to early childhood programs, which would lead to increased diversity and
ultimately to better quality programs.
The current "you get what you pay for" mentality that exists would be
eliminated and all children would begin their education on a level playing
field.
- Universal
access to daycare and preschool programs should be seamless, creating a
continuity of learning for children. Curriculum and assessment standards must
be aligned and services should be comprehensive and aimed at intellectual,
physical, and social development of children and their readiness to achieve
learning success in elementary schools.
access to daycare and preschool programs should be seamless, creating a
continuity of learning for children. Curriculum and assessment standards must
be aligned and services should be comprehensive and aimed at intellectual,
physical, and social development of children and their readiness to achieve
learning success in elementary schools.
-
High-quality, well-trained, well compensated educators and staff are key to student achievement at all levels of
education. Professional development for early childhood educators and staff
must be improved and focus on early childhood development, curriculum design,
best practices and pedagogy, and parental involvement.
High-quality, well-trained, well compensated educators and staff are key to student achievement at all levels of
education. Professional development for early childhood educators and staff
must be improved and focus on early childhood development, curriculum design,
best practices and pedagogy, and parental involvement.
- A balance
of focus in preservice and inservice professional development programs must be
maintained. The issue of maintaining a substantive balance of pedagogy versus
subject matter mastery in teacher preparation and inservice professional development programs has been
a persistent debate among educators. Teacher education programs often emphasize
subject matter knowledge and offer little training in developing a great
understanding of the learning of young children. It was generally agreed that teaching,
teacher development, and curriculum delivery needs to focus on what has the
greatest impact on healthy development and life-long learning of each child.
Professional development should not only strengthen staff and teachers'
knowledge of subject matter and curricular issues, but should emphasize methods
for recognizing and addressing children's developmental and learning needs.
of focus in preservice and inservice professional development programs must be
maintained. The issue of maintaining a substantive balance of pedagogy versus
subject matter mastery in teacher preparation and inservice professional development programs has been
a persistent debate among educators. Teacher education programs often emphasize
subject matter knowledge and offer little training in developing a great
understanding of the learning of young children. It was generally agreed that teaching,
teacher development, and curriculum delivery needs to focus on what has the
greatest impact on healthy development and life-long learning of each child.
Professional development should not only strengthen staff and teachers'
knowledge of subject matter and curricular issues, but should emphasize methods
for recognizing and addressing children's developmental and learning needs.
- Parental
involvement is crucial to the success of early childhood programs. Involving
parents at all levels of decision making, including curriculum design and
professional development, increases parents' sense of ownership of these
programs and encourages collaboration between schools and the communities. Most
parents want to be involved in every aspect of their children's education. By
including parents in the early childhood equation, learning that begins in the
classroom is reinforced at home. A critical element of this reinforcement is
the development of a common vocabulary that teachers and parents can use to
discuss a child's progress and methods for improvement.
involvement is crucial to the success of early childhood programs. Involving
parents at all levels of decision making, including curriculum design and
professional development, increases parents' sense of ownership of these
programs and encourages collaboration between schools and the communities. Most
parents want to be involved in every aspect of their children's education. By
including parents in the early childhood equation, learning that begins in the
classroom is reinforced at home. A critical element of this reinforcement is
the development of a common vocabulary that teachers and parents can use to
discuss a child's progress and methods for improvement.
- Parents
should receive information on relevant research on effective practices in
readable and useful forms. Parents should not only be informed, but also should
be involved in providing input and making programming decisions about the education of their children.
should receive information on relevant research on effective practices in
readable and useful forms. Parents should not only be informed, but also should
be involved in providing input and making programming decisions about the education of their children.
In addition
to the broad-based issues of universal daycare, professional development, and
parental involvement, we have the following specific recommendations for moving
forward with an advocacy action agenda for universal quality childcare and
preschool education.
to the broad-based issues of universal daycare, professional development, and
parental involvement, we have the following specific recommendations for moving
forward with an advocacy action agenda for universal quality childcare and
preschool education.
- Convince
policymakers that: (a) early childhood programs can be cost effective; (b) the
extent and quality of programs are crucial to achieving success; and (c)
programs can be successful at a relatively small amount of cost if integrated
into existing structures.
policymakers that: (a) early childhood programs can be cost effective; (b) the
extent and quality of programs are crucial to achieving success; and (c)
programs can be successful at a relatively small amount of cost if integrated
into existing structures.
- Initiate
discussions between early childhood education advocates and members of the National Parent Teacher Association. Form
coalitions with other advocacy groups to create better political climates for
children and their families.
discussions between early childhood education advocates and members of the National Parent Teacher Association. Form
coalitions with other advocacy groups to create better political climates for
children and their families.
- Identify
champions of the childcare and early childhood education movement who are
influential. Promote leadership advocacy for early childhood education.
champions of the childcare and early childhood education movement who are
influential. Promote leadership advocacy for early childhood education.
- Focus on
what sells. Advocates need to get the media on the side of quality childcare
and early childhood education. Inform the public about relevant research on
what works in providing quality childcare and preschool education.
what sells. Advocates need to get the media on the side of quality childcare
and early childhood education. Inform the public about relevant research on
what works in providing quality childcare and preschool education.
- Use new
technologies and mass communication avenues to forge a national dialogue on the
mandate for quality childcare and preschool education for all, and to foster
increased parent–school connections.
technologies and mass communication avenues to forge a national dialogue on the
mandate for quality childcare and preschool education for all, and to foster
increased parent–school connections.
- Work to
eradicate the risk factors that continue to challenge and mitigate against
human capital investment and confront racial and social stratification. Examine
the assumptions behind the term "at risk" and devise a new term that
reduces stereotyping.
eradicate the risk factors that continue to challenge and mitigate against
human capital investment and confront racial and social stratification. Examine
the assumptions behind the term "at risk" and devise a new term that
reduces stereotyping.
- Utilize
the research on preventing reading difficulties in young children to minimize
severe academic problems in the primary grades.
the research on preventing reading difficulties in young children to minimize
severe academic problems in the primary grades.
- Improve
articulation alignment of what is taught in colleges and the professional
expertise required for a quality childcare and preschool education force. There
is a critical need to increase collaboration and coordination between higher
education institutions that provide preservice education of childcare and
preschool education professionals and childcare and preschool education
providing agencies.
articulation alignment of what is taught in colleges and the professional
expertise required for a quality childcare and preschool education force. There
is a critical need to increase collaboration and coordination between higher
education institutions that provide preservice education of childcare and
preschool education professionals and childcare and preschool education
providing agencies.
- Attention
needs to be placed on preservice and inservice programs that focus on bringing
research-based knowledge to bear on improving practice.
needs to be placed on preservice and inservice programs that focus on bringing
research-based knowledge to bear on improving practice.
- Parental
involvement should be required coursework for childcare and early childhood education
programs.
involvement should be required coursework for childcare and early childhood education
programs.
-
Researchers, policy makers, and practitioners need to work intensively to
educate their colleagues and the public on viewing the 21st Century as the
"Century of the Child" and creating a national investment strategy
for continuing to be a leading nation in the 21st Century.
Researchers, policy makers, and practitioners need to work intensively to
educate their colleagues and the public on viewing the 21st Century as the
"Century of the Child" and creating a national investment strategy
for continuing to be a leading nation in the 21st Century.
