Education Report Roundup

Early Child Care

By Debra Viadero — October 06, 2009 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

A national study suggests that high-quality child care early in life can blunt the negative impact on learning that is usually associated with children who grow up in poverty.

Published in the September-October issue of the journal Child Development, the study draws on data from a nationally representative sample of more than 1,300 children.

It finds that low-income children who spent time in child-care settings that were rated “above average” performed nearly as well as more affluent peers on reading and mathematics tests taken in the 3rd and 5th grades.

The study included a range of child-care settings. Investigators judged the quality of child care on the basis of caregivers’ responsiveness to children’s needs, the availability of learning materials, and how much caregivers talked to the youngsters and encouraged them to use language.

A version of this article appeared in the October 07, 2009 edition of Education Week as Early Child Care

Events

Artificial Intelligence Live Online Discussion A Seat at the Table: Math & Technology: Finding the Recipe for Student Success
How should we balance AI & math instruction? Join our discussion on preparing future-ready students.
Teaching Profession K-12 Essentials Forum New Insights Into the Teaching Profession
Join this free virtual event to get exclusive insights from Education Week's State of Teaching project.
Jobs Virtual Career Fair for Teachers and K-12 Staff
Find teaching jobs and K-12 education jubs at the EdWeek Top School Jobs virtual career fair.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Education Briefly Stated: June 11, 2025
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
5 min read
Education Quiz What Is the #1 Factor Boosting Students' STEM Motivation? Take This Weekly Quiz
Test your knowledge on the latest news and trends in education.
1 min read
Education Briefly Stated: June 4, 2025
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
8 min read
Education Quiz Why Did A Court Dismiss the Lawsuit Against Lucy Calkins? Take This Weekly Quiz
Test your knowledge on the latest news and trends in education.
1 min read