Early Childhood Video

A Charter School Finds ‘Looping’ Strategy Benefits Youngest Students

By Marvin Joseph & Yi-Jo Shen — July 01, 2026 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

Capital City Public Charter School, the first parent-founded charter school in the nation’s capital, takes a unique approach to early learning. Three- and 4-year-olds share a classroom. This “looping” benefits both younger and older learners. The 3-year-olds lean on their older peers for guidance. The 4-year-olds get to share what they know. The arrangement prepares all the students to embrace the school’s mission, which highlights critical thinking, a joy of learning, and social justice advocacy.

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Webinar
Hiring, Retention, and Fill Rates: A Data-Driven Sub Strategy
Explore what keeps substitutes coming back and hear how one district rebuilt its substitute hiring process and improved its fill rate.
Content provided by Frontline Education
Early Childhood K-12 Essentials Forum Early Childhood Education: Building Essential Skills for Success
Join this free virtual event to examine the biggest challenges in supporting young children, from preschool through elementary school. 
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Student Absenteeism Webinar
Attendance Isn't an Attendance Problem
Boost attendance by strengthening relationships, belonging, and support with practical strategies from Doug Fisher & Nancy Frey.
Content provided by Corwin

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

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.
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 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.
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 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.
10 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 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.
5 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