TheBuildingBlocksofHigh-QualityEarlyChildhoodEducation.pdfVIP

CALIFORNIA POLICY BRIEF The Building Blocks of High-Quality Early Childhood Education Programs By Marjorie Wechsler, Hanna Melnick, Anna Maier, and Joseph Bishop When it comes to early childhood education programs, quality is Abstract critical. High-quality preschool gives children a strong start on the This brief identifies important path that leads to college or a career. Research shows that all children elements of high-quality early benefit from high-quality preschool, with low-income children and childhood education programs as 1 indicated by research and professional English learners benefiting the most. A substantial number of studies standards. These include: demonstrate the benefits of high-quality pre-k programs. These include ? Early learning standards and long-term research on Perry Preschool, the Abecedarian Project, and curricula that address the whole the Chicago Child-Parent Centers, as well as ongoing studies of the child, are developmentally appropriate, and are effectively preschool programs in Tulsa and Boston and New Jersey’s Abbott implemented. Preschool Program, among others. Economists also have shown the ? Assessments that consider children’s benefits of early education investments, which generate approximately academic, social-emotional, and physical progress and contribute to $7 for every dollar invested.2 However, the potential of preschool can instructional and program planning. only be realized if programs are of high quality. ? Well-prepared teachers who provide engaging interactions and classroom This brief summarizes the substantial body of research on environments that support learning. programs demonstrating positive results, as well as the ? Ongoing support for teachers, including coaching and ment