Preschool/Pre-K

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
HB A4346
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
A student participates in a reading and writing lesson at the Head Start program at Easterseals South Florida, an organization gets about a third of its funding from the federal government, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025, in Miami.
A student participates in a reading and writing lesson at the Head Start program at Easterseals South Florida, an organization gets about a third of its funding from the federal government in Miami on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. As it seeks to scale back regulations governing Head Start, the Trump administration has stalled competitions for programs awaiting renewed funding.
Rebecca Blackwell/AP Photo
Early Childhood Head Start Providers Struggle as Trump Admin. Holds Up Funding Competitions
At least 85 Head Start providers serving more than 39,000 children across 38 states are in limbo.
Caitlynn Peetz Stephens & Mark Lieberman, August 18, 2026
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9 min read
Long Beach, CA - March 20 : Teacher Monica Alvarado, left, leads activities with staff in the infant class at Educare Los Angeles at Long Beach , a very high-quality child care center in Long Beach on Wednesday, March 20, 2024 in Long Beach, CA.
Teacher Monica Alvarado, left, leads activities with staff in the infant class at Educare Los Angeles at Long Beach, a very high-quality child care center in Long Beach on Wednesday, March 20, 2024 in Long Beach, Calif. Head Start programs for early childhood education will no longer promote bilingualism under a proposed rule change.
Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times via TNS
Federal Q&A What Head Start's English-Only Rule Could Mean for English Learners
Research shows it's not necessary to lose a home language to learn English.
Ileana Najarro, August 17, 2026
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3 min read
DSC01352
Lylah Bobowski, 3, plays in the outdoor playground of the Head Start Center in Athens, Pa., on August 13, 2026.
Md. Zobayer Hossain Joati for Education Week
Early Childhood What This Rural Head Start Program Stands to Lose With Federal Changes
The federal government just announced plans to de-regulate Head Start. Here's what this might mean.
Elizabeth Heubeck, August 14, 2026
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10 min read
Karen Locken plays with children in an Early Head Start program in Pasadena, California on Friday, April 18, 2025 .
Karen Locken plays with children in an Early Head Start program in Pasadena, California on Friday, April 18, 2025 .
Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times/TNS
Early Childhood Trump Admin. Moves to Dismantle Head Start Quality Standards
The Trump administration announced plans to dismantle the federal regulations that have defined Head Start for decades.
Elizabeth Heubeck, August 6, 2026
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5 min read
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani speaks during a press conference on Universal Child Care at Bedrock Preschool on August 04, 2026 in the Riverdale neighborhood of the Bronx borough in New York City. Mayor Mamdani was joined by Gov. Kathy Hochul, Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels, and other elected officials on the day families of 2,000 toddlers received their 2-K offers for the program beginning in September across five school districts. More than 5,700 families applied for New York City's inaugural preschool program for 2-year-olds. Mamdani said the city plans to expand capacity to 12,000 children and include Staten Island in the program.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani speaks during a press conference about the city's pre-K program at Bedrock Preschool in New York City on Aug. 4, 2026. The city is expanding public preschool to 2,000 2-year-olds, with plans to expand it to 12,000 in 2027.
Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images
Early Childhood Could Public Preschool for 2-Year-Olds Become the Next Pre-K?
New York City and New Mexico have started "2-K" programs. But are they sustainable?
Jennifer Vilcarino, August 6, 2026
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4 min read