Carnegie Offers Reform Strategy for Ages 3 to 10

By Linda Jacobson

Many of the nation's young children already are faltering when they start kindergarten and achieve far below their potential during the early grades, a new report from the Carnegie Corporation of New York says.

Focusing on ages 3 to 10, the report calls on all of the institutions involved in a child's life, including families, preschool and after-school programs, and elementary schools, as well as the media, to provide exceptional care and educational programs.

"In every waking hour, kids in this age range are really sponging up every educational opportunity that's made available to them," said Michael Levine, a program officer at the foundation who worked on the report. "It's very important that what happens during the preschool years be of the same challenging variety and the same set of...