Early-Childhood Research

Early Childhood State-Funded Pre-K Sees Slow Enrollment Growth, Says New National Report
It would take years at the current growth rate for state-funded preschool to enroll half of the nation's 4-year-olds, the National Institute for Early Education Reseach says.
Christina A. Samuels, April 17, 2019
2 min read
Early Childhood Algebra for 3rd Graders?
When it comes to algebra, new research at the American Educational Research Association suggests you can't start too early.
Sarah D. Sparks, April 8, 2019
4 min read
Early Childhood New Report Ranks Which States Give Babies the Strongest Start in Life
A new report ranks the best and worst states for babies based on how those children fare in terms of health, strong families and opportunities for early learning.
Marva Hinton, March 1, 2019
3 min read
Early Childhood Reading Aloud and 'Exergaming': A Roundup of Early-Years Research
Two recent studies take a look at how often parents are reading to young children and the impact of exercise-related video games on boosting preschoolers physical activity.
Marva Hinton, February 19, 2019
4 min read
Early Childhood Child Care Provides Nearly $100 Billion Economic Impact, New Report Finds
A new report by the Committee for Economic Development finds that in addition to allowing parents to work, child care itself has a big economic footprint.
Marva Hinton, February 11, 2019
2 min read
Early Childhood Many Large City Pre-K Programs Fail to Meet Quality Benchmarks, Study Finds
A new study finds that the majority of city pre-K programs in the nation's 40 largest cities fall short on a research organization's yardsticks, and 40 percent fail to reach more than 30 percent of the 4-year-old population.
Marva Hinton, January 23, 2019
3 min read
Early Childhood New Study Finds Strong School Climate Key to Effective Early Learning
A new study finds that several factors that can be measured through surveys of teachers, staff members, and parents reliably predict the effectiveness of an early-childhood education.
Marva Hinton, January 22, 2019
4 min read
Early Childhood Work Needed to Improve Efficiency of Early-Ed Programs, Report Says
The Bipartisan Policy Center's state-by-state analysis of the administration of federal early-childhood education programs found inefficiencies and recommended that governors call in outside experts for help.
Marva Hinton, December 21, 2018
4 min read
Early Childhood Long-Term Study of Universal Preschool in Quebec Yields Sobering Outcomes
Researchers who found early negative impacts of participating in a universal child-care program in Quebec have shown that those impacts continue once children enter school and adolescence.
Christina A. Samuels, December 19, 2018
2 min read
Children lie down during naptime at a preschool program in a building near the now-shuttered Mildred Jackson Elementary School in Hughes. The parents of these children must decide in a year or two whether to put them on a school bus for the hourlong trip to West Memphis schools or move closer.
Children rest during nap time at a preschool in Hughes, Ark. New research finds that naps help many young children remember what they are learning in school.
Karen Pulfer Focht for Education Week
Early Childhood Nap Time Boosts Learning, Studies Say
Studies are finding that, for many young children, afternoon naps are crucial for consolidating memories and learning.
Sarah D. Sparks, December 11, 2018
4 min read
Early Childhood New Study Calls for More Research Into Early-Childhood Teacher Preparation
There's a new focus on getting more training to early-childhood educators, but there's a dearth of information about what constitutes a high-quality, teacher-preparation program.
Marva Hinton, December 10, 2018
2 min read
Student Well-Being & Movement OECD: How Economics Still Shapes Students' Educational Paths
While overall educational attainment is rising globally, students' educational success is still largely a function of their economic status growing up, according to a report released Tuesday by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development.
Sasha Jones, October 23, 2018
2 min read
Student Well-Being & Movement Leveraging 'Open Windows' and 'Doulas' to Boost Education Outcomes for Young Families
While young teen parents are on the decline, a new study finds more educational supports are needed for older teenagers and young adults with children.
Sarah D. Sparks, September 26, 2018
3 min read
Early Childhood Practicing Kindergarten: How a Summer Program Eases Kids Into Learning
The start of kindergarten can be overwhelming for students, and for their parents. In Portland, Ore., a summer program is working to ease that transition.
Lisa Stark, August 15, 2018
1 min read