Preschool/Pre-K

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
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
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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
As part of Portland Parks environmental education, preschoolers and their parents take part in a guided nature hike through Laurelhurst Park on Feb. 13, 2026. Fewer than 60% of Oregon parents report their young child has hit milestones to be ready for kindergarten.
Preschoolers and their parents take part in a Portland Parks guided nature hike through Laurelhurst Park in Oregon on Feb. 13, 2026. A growing number of preschools nationwide rely on early assessments to gauge baseline development and progress. But many teachers express concerns.
Ross William Hamilton/oregonlive.com via TNS
Early Childhood Too Young to Test? How Teachers Feel About Early Childhood Assessments
A growing number of early elementary public school students are required to take assessments.
Elizabeth Heubeck, July 28, 2026
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5 min read
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Katrina Fernandez, lower school principal at Capital City Public Charter School, helps organize these preschoolers as they practice along with high school seniors during a graduation rehearsal at Capital City Public Charter School in Washington, DC on June 11, 2026. The school's pre-K classes practice "looping," in which 3- and 4-year-olds share a classroom and stay with the same teacher for two years.
Marvin Joseph/Education Week
Early Childhood Why 'Looping' in Pre-K Helps Kids
As states seek to expand pre-K and teachers report students' lack of readiness, looping may help.
Elizabeth Heubeck, July 20, 2026
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5 min read
Children use speech bubbles as a bridge to reach their teacher.
Hua Ye for Education Week
Early Childhood Opinion Why Early Learning Classrooms Need More Chit-Chat
Conversation is a vital pedagogical tool. Why is it waning in pre-K and elementary schools?
Tia Henteleff, July 15, 2026
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4 min read
Connecticut passed legislation requiring public preschools and kindergartens to provide play-based learning during the school day.
Connecticut passed legislation requiring public preschools and kindergartens to provide play-based learning during the school day.
Victor J. Blue for Education Week
Early Childhood Video How Play Carts Can Transform Early Education
Play carts make it easy to follow Connecticut’s play-based learning mandate.
Marvin Joseph, July 13, 2026
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1 min read
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Early Childhood Video A Charter School Finds 'Looping' Strategy Benefits Youngest Students
Capital City Public Charter School, the first parent-founded charter school in the nation’s capital, takes a unique approach to early learning.
Marvin Joseph & Yi-Jo Shen, July 1, 2026
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1 min read
Students play during a TK class at First Street Elementary School in Los Angeles, on April 22, 2026.
Students play at First Street Elementary School in Los Angeles, on April 22, 2026. Principals leading schools with preschool programs often don’t have enough runway to learn skills and theories before they’re tasked with leading early grades.
Ethan Swope/AP
Early Childhood How Principals Can Make Preschools Better
Principals need to adopt strategies that help their youngest learners thrive.
Olina Banerji, June 29, 2026
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5 min read
Georgia preschool students listen to a teacher read a book Wednesday, April 22, 2026, at The Capitol Hill Child Enrichment Center in Atlanta.
Georgia preschool students listen as a teacher reads a book April 22, 2026, at the Capitol Hill Child Enrichment Center in Atlanta. Many principals now oversee preschool programs but often lack training in early childhood instruction.
Alyssa Pointer/AP
Early Childhood More Principals Now Lead Preschools. But Are They Ready for It?
Strong efforts to train principals in early-childhood education are still scattered and scarce.
Olina Banerji, June 16, 2026
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6 min read