Early-Childhood Research

A student participates in a reading and writing lesson at the Head Start program at Easterseals South Florida, Jan. 29, 2025, in Miami.
A student participates in a reading and writing lesson at the Head Start program at Easterseals South Florida in Miami on Jan. 29, 2025. The organization gets about a third of its funding from the federal government. Supporters of President Donald Trump's plan to cut Head Start say it's ineffective. Advocates say they are oversimplifying key research.
Rebecca Blackwell/AP
Early Childhood Trump Allies Say the Case for Head Start Is Weak. Researchers Say They're Wrong
Head Start critics oversimplify research to justify calls for its closure, researchers said.
Evie Blad, May 1, 2025
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9 min read
Teacher Grismairi Amparo works with her students on a reading and writing lesson at Head Start program run by Easterseals South Florida, an organization that gets about a third of its funding from the federal government, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025, in Miami.
Teacher Grismairi Amparo works with her students on a reading and writing lesson at a Head Start program run by Easterseals South Florida on Jan. 29, 2025 in Miami. The organization gets about a third of its funding from the federal government.
Rebecca Blackwell/AP
Early Childhood Pre-K Programs Expand Nationwide, But Quality Falls Behind
Preschools experienced a boost in funding and enrollment nationwide, but a deeper look reveals a disparity in quality.
Jennifer Vilcarino, April 29, 2025
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6 min read
Student who is upset with head down at the steps of a school.
Roman Bodnarchuk/iStock/Getty
Equity & Diversity What Happened When a State Banned Suspensions for Young Students
A statewide ban on suspension for some learners successfully reduced its use—but some students were still disproportionately affected.
Brooke Schultz, August 1, 2024
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6 min read
Young girl using scissors in classroom.
E+ / Getty
Early Childhood The State of Teaching, 2024 Edition Young Kids Are Struggling With Skills Like Listening, Sharing, and Using Scissors
Teachers say basic skills and tasks are more challenging for young students now than they were five years ago.
Madeline Will, June 3, 2024
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5 min read
Black female teacher and group of kids coloring during art class at preschool.
iStock / Getty Images Plus
Early Childhood Preschool Studies Show Lagging Results. Why?
Researchers try to figure out why modern preschool programs are less effective than the landmark projects in the 1960s and 70s.
Sarah Schwartz, January 9, 2024
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7 min read
Teacher Honi Allen, right, supervises as children test how far they can jump at the St. John's Preschool in American Falls, Idaho, on Sept. 28, 2023.
Teacher Honi Allen, right, supervises as children test how far they can jump at the St. John's Preschool in American Falls, Idaho, on Sept. 28, 2023.
Kyle Green/AP
Early Childhood What the Research Says A New Study Shows How Schools Can Maximize Full-Day Pre-K's Benefits
Researchers said principals played a key role in students' academic success through 3rd grade.
Sarah D. Sparks, November 28, 2023
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6 min read
Close crop of the back of a pre-school girl's head showing her playing with foam puzzle pieces of shapes and numbers.
iStock/Getty
Early Childhood What the Research Says 6 Challenges for Early Educators as Preschool Growth Halts
School enrollment for the nation’s youngest learners has nosedived—and could cause long-term problems.
Sarah D. Sparks & Gina Tomko, August 25, 2023
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4 min read
Teacher Silvia Castillo, center, reads a book about dinosaurs with Everett Fisher, left, and Jaz Endicott in a toddler classroom at Kids First on Jan. 30, 2019 in Lincoln, Neb.
Teacher Silvia Castillo, center, reads a book about dinosaurs with Everett Fisher, left, and Jaz Endicott in a toddler classroom at Kids First on Jan. 30, 2019, in Lincoln, Neb.
Gwyneth Roberts/Lincoln Journal Star via AP
Early Childhood What the Research Says Starting School in Infancy Can Help Low-Income Children Keep Up With Peers in Elementary School
Research on a birth-to-4 initiative in Tulsa finds academic gains through 3rd grade.
Sarah D. Sparks, August 10, 2023
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4 min read
Students participate in a pre-kindergarten class at Alice M. Harte Charter School in New Orleans on Dec. 18, 2018. Charter schools, which are publicly funded and privately operated, are often located in urban areas with large back populations, intended as alternatives to struggling city schools.
Students participate in a pre-kindergarten class at Alice M. Harte Charter School in New Orleans on Dec. 18, 2018.
Gerald Herbert/AP
Early Childhood Why Parents 'Redshirt' Their Kids in Kindergarten
Parents have a number of reasons why they decide to delay their children's school entry, but it's not always a good idea.
Lydia McFarlane, July 26, 2023
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5 min read
Image of elementary students sitting in a circle.
Pongtep Chithan/iStock/Getty
Equity & Diversity Young Children Think and Talk About Race. How Should Teachers Respond?
Educators, many wary of recent restrictions on the topic, discussed the challenge at a recent professional conference.
Sarah Schwartz, December 7, 2022
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4 min read
A multi-ethnic group of preschool students is sitting with their legs crossed on the floor in their classroom. The mixed-race female teacher is sitting on the floor facing the children. The happy kids are smiling and following the teacher's instructions. They have their arms raised in the air.
E+/Getty
Early Childhood As Head Start Quality Push Continues, Advocates Raise Red Flag on Equity
Inadequate federal funding forces Head Start providers to choose between quality and quantity, a new report contends.
Evie Blad, December 1, 2022
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2 min read
Illustration of students and a teacher.
DigitalVision Vectors
School & District Management What the Research Says Principals Matter for Preschools, But Studies Show They Lack Training
New research suggests principals need to learn more about the preschool classes in their buildings.
Sarah D. Sparks, October 7, 2022
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3 min read
Julian Gresham, 12, left, works in a group to program a Bee-Bot while in their fifth grade summer school class Monday, June 14, 2021, at Goliad Elementary School. Bee-bots and are new to Ector County Independent School District and help to teach students basic programming skills like sequencing, estimation and problem-solving.
Students work in a group to program a Bee-Bot while in their summer school class at Goliad Elementary School in Odessa, Texas.
Jacob Ford/Odessa American via AP
Early Childhood Get a Very Early Start on Teaching Coding Skills. Pilot Study Suggests Trying Robotic Toys
The study found that coding exercises enhanced the preschoolers’ problem-solving skills, creativity, and determination.
Lauraine Langreo, June 24, 2022
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2 min read
Image shows a multi-tailed arrow hitting the bullseye of a target.
DigitalVision Vectors/Getty
Early Childhood Opinion The Not-So-Certain Science of Pre-K
Much of the support for universal preschool proceeds with a blind assurance that leaves difficult questions aside.
Rick Hess, May 24, 2022
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4 min read
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