Preschool/Pre-K

Citlali Márquez-Hamil dances during a Transitional Kindergarten class at First Street Elementary School in Los Angeles, on April 22, 2026.
Citlali Márquez-Hamil dances during a transitional kindergarten class at First Street Elementary School in Los Angeles, on April 22, 2026. During a recent Education Week webinar, experts discussed California's shift to play-based screeners, including how they work, the risk of student misidentification, and implementation oversight.
Ethan Swope/AP
English Learners 4 Lessons From One State's Move Away From Formal Pre-K Language Testing
California is shifting from formal assessments to play-based screeners for its youngest learners.
Caitlynn Peetz Stephens, October 12, 2026
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5 min read
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Educational posters and stickers are displayed in a Head Start center classroom in Athens, Pa., on Aug. 13, 2026. The Trump administration has proposed sweeping changes to Head Start regulations.
MD. ZOBAYER HOSSAIN JOATI for Education Week
Early Childhood Here’s Where RFK Jr.’s Head Start Deregulation Would Hit Hardest
The Trump administration has proposed dismantling several key Head Start regulations.
Elizabeth Heubeck, October 6, 2026
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6 min read
A teacher escorts young children to their classroom at a Head Start preschool in Immokalee, Fla., Thursday, Sept. 10, 2026.
A teacher escorts young children to their classroom at a Head Start preschool in Immokalee, Fla., on Sept. 10, 2026. Many experts argue that preschool is a critical time to teach important social-emotional skills to prepare them for elementary school.
Rebecca Blackwell/AP
Early Childhood What Do Young Kids Really Need From Preschool? Experts Weigh In
Three experts share their thoughts on the evolution of preschool and where it's headed.
Elizabeth Heubeck, October 1, 2026
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5 min read
A Pre-K 4 SA student arrives for class, Oct. 9, 2025, in San Antonio.
A Pre-K student arrives for class on Oct. 9, 2025, in San Antonio. As district leaders weigh integrating early learning into K-12 systems, there are logistical challenges to consider.
Eric Gay/AP
Early Childhood How Two Districts Are Shaping Pre-K Learning
Superintendents say a strong strategic vision and high-quality PD are key.
Olina Banerji, September 30, 2026
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2 min read
Students tend to chickens at WonderHere in Lakeland, Fla. on Sept. 1, 2026.
Students tend to chickens at WonderHere in Lakeland, Fla. on Sept. 1, 2026.
Saul Martinez for Education Week
Early Childhood Video Play-Based Learning: How It Can Build Young Children’s Independence
An EdWeek video looks at how an early learning program helps students explore boundaries and responsibility.
Sean Cavanagh & Marvin Joseph, September 24, 2026
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1 min read
Illustration by Nicole Xu showing a very young EL boy scribbling over an assessment test with a swirly white circle of confusion around his head.
Nicole Xu for Education Week
English Learners How One State Is Identifying English Learners Early—Without Misclassifying Them
California is replacing formal pre-K English screeners with age-appropriate tools to prevent misidentification.
Caitlynn Peetz Stephens, September 21, 2026
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7 min read
MONTEREY PARK, CA - August 21, 2026: Transitional kindergarten students engage in a clay activity at a dual language Head Start program at Hillcrest Elementary School in Monterey Park on Friday, August 21, 2026.
Transitional kindergarten students engage in a clay activity at a dual-language Head Start program at Hillcrest Elementary School in Monterey Park, Calif., on Friday, Aug. 21, 2026. A new poll sheds light on early childhood educators' stance toward industry regulations.
Christina House / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
Early Childhood Deregulate Early Childhood Education? Here's What Educators Think
A new report from a national early education organization breaks down workforce concerns.
Elizabeth Heubeck, September 16, 2026
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4 min read
HERNDON, VA - MAY 11: Carmen Quintanilla and her husband Cain Perez read a book to their daughter, Carolina Perez, 5, during a program with Coates Family Academy at Lutie Lewis Coates Elementary School in Herndon, Va., Thursday, May 11, 2023. The program is called Book Bounce, one of many designed by Coates Family Academy for parents to be more involved in their students' education. It's focused on immigrant and English-learning families.
Carmen Quintanilla and her husband Cain Perez read a book to their daughter Carolina Perez, 5, during a program with Coates Family Academy at Lutie Lewis Coates Elementary School in Herndon, Va., on May 11, 2023. New research shows a decline in parent-child shared book reading experiences since the pandemic.
Salwan Georges/The Washington Post via Getty Images
Early Childhood Parents Are Reading Less to Preschool-Age Kids at Home. What’s to Blame?
A new study uncovers factors tied to shared reading habits at home.
Elizabeth Heubeck, September 11, 2026
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4 min read
Pre-K students line up outside a classroom at the South Education Center, on April 2, 2014, in San Antonio.
Pre-K students line up outside a classroom at the South Education Center in San Antonio on April 2, 2014. Some experts have raised concerns about whether it's developmentally appropriate for preschoolers to stand and walk in lines.
Eric Gay/AP
Early Childhood Get in Line! Pre-K Expansion May Force 4-Year-Olds to Act Like Older Students
Experts explain why lines for little kids don't make sense, and offer alternatives.
Elizabeth Heubeck, September 3, 2026
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3 min read
WASHINGTON,DC - JUNE 10: Dr. Aaron Spence, Superintendent, Loudoun County Public Schools and Dr. Macquline King, Superintendent and CEO of Chicago Public Schools speak during a House Education and Workforce Committee hearing titled “Breaking Trust: Attacks On Parental Rights, Inappropriate Content, And Legal Abuses In America’s Schools” on Capitol Hill on Wednesday, June 10, 2026 in Washington, DC.
Dr. Aaron Spence, Superintendent, Loudoun County Public Schools, and Dr. Macquline King, Superintendent and CEO of Chicago Public Schools, speak during a House Education and Workforce Committee hearing on Capitol Hill on June 10, 2026, in Washington, D.C. Superintendents believe pre-K is a priority for their districts, but it doesn't often translate to actively supporting early grades.
Jabin Botsford For Education Week
Early Childhood Q&A If District Leaders Support Pre-K, Then Why Is It Not a Top Priority?
Superintendents can empower other leaders to nurture and grow their district's pre-K program.
Olina Banerji, September 2, 2026
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6 min read
The United States Capitol building as a bookcase filled with red, white, and blue policy books in a Washington DC landscape.
Luca D'Urbino for Education Week
Federal Opinion What’s Behind the Trump Administration's Push to Reform Head Start?
Assistant Secretary Alex Adams explains the Trump administration’s approach to the early-ed program.
Rick Hess, September 1, 2026
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7 min read
In this Friday, March 13, 2020 photo, Pre-K students Nivayeh O'neal, 4, left, and Harper Lietchy, 5, go through the lunch line at Rivermont elementary school in Chattanooga, Tenn.
Pre-K students go through the lunch line at Rivermont Elementary School on March 13, 2020, in Chattanooga, Tenn. As a growing number of states plan to expand access to publicly funded pre-K, experts question its impact and direction.
Troy Stolt/Chattanooga Times Free Press via AP
Early Childhood Q&A The Pre-K Push: Are Current Preschool Models Heading the Wrong Way?
Dale C. Farran has spent five decades studying early education, and shares her insights with EdWeek.
Elizabeth Heubeck, August 31, 2026
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7 min read
Pre-K/kindergarten teacher Lisbeth McGregor instructs her students at Mackinac Island School, Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2025. McGregor lives in St. Ignace and commutes back and forth daily to teach on the island.
Pre-K/kindergarten teacher Lisbeth McGregor instructs her students at Mackinac Island School, Sept. 24, 2025, on Mackinac Island, Mich. Research examining the academic benefits of pre-K shows mixed results.
John T. Greilick/The Detroit News via TNS
Early Childhood Does Pre-K Give Kids a Lasting Edge? Here's What the Latest Study Says
Several researchers have studied the effects of pre-K on future academic success, with mixed results.
Elizabeth Heubeck & Jennifer Vilcarino, August 20, 2026
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6 min read
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An activity table inside the Pocono Services for Families and Children's new sensory bus on Aug. 20, 2026, in East Stroudsburg, Pa. The bus is set to hit the road this spring to help teach young students how to regulate their emotions through play.
Hannah Beier for Education Week
Student Well-Being & Movement How a School Bus Will Serve as a Sensory Reprieve for Little Learners
A rural Head Start program will deploy the bus to give young kids tools to manage their emotions.
Caitlynn Peetz Stephens, August 20, 2026
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4 min read