Early Childhood Blog

Early Years

Staff writer Christina A. Samuels and Contributing Writer Marva Hinton provided insight, news, and analysis on early-childhood education. This blog is no longer being updated, but you can continue to explore these issues on edweek.org by visiting our related topic pages: early childhood.

Early Childhood New Study Provides Possible Solution to Reducing Math Anxiety
A new study found that young students who participated in an after-school math program significantly reduced their math anxiety.
Marva Hinton, March 29, 2018
2 min read
Federal Trump Weighs Making Public Benefits a Barrier for Legal Residency
The draft rule reported Wednesday would make it harder for immigrants to receive legal status if they've taken advantage of certain services, but reports say they would not be penalized for using Head Start.
Christina A. Samuels, March 28, 2018
1 min read
English Learners Elementary School Teachers in North Carolina Turn Attention to Cursive Writing
Cursive writing is experiencing a resurgence of sorts in North Carolina elementary schools thanks to a state law that was passed in 2013.
Marva Hinton, March 26, 2018
3 min read
Early Childhood Early Educators Help Children Navigate Fears of Violence, Times of Protest
Early-childhood educators nationwide are grappling with how to help young students deal with traumatic events such as the mass shooting last month in Parkland, Fla., and its aftermath.
Marva Hinton, March 23, 2018
4 min read
Early Childhood Does Higher-Level Number Talk Hold Key to Better Math Scores for Young Children?
Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh have found a positive correlation between parents who engage their young children in higher-level number talk and their children's math scores.
Marva Hinton, March 23, 2018
2 min read
Early Childhood How States Plan to Use ESSA Funds for Early Learning
A supporter of federal funding for early-childhood programs for disadvantaged children has produced a new report detailing how states plan to use ESSA to garner more support for these initiatives.
Marva Hinton, March 12, 2018
1 min read
Early Childhood Are Community Colleges the Key to Improving Early-Childhood Education?
A new report examines the role of community colleges in preparing the early-childhood education workforce as more policymakers recommend these workers obtain four-year degrees.
Marva Hinton, March 6, 2018
3 min read
Early Childhood Is Targeted or Universal Preschool More Popular? The Answer May Surprise You.
A survey puts to the test a long-held assumption that universal preschool is more popular across the income spectrum than preschool aimed at low-income families.
Christina A. Samuels, March 6, 2018
1 min read
Early Childhood What Drives the Cost of Early-Childhood Programs? Here's a Tool to Find Out
The Center for American Progress has released a new report and an interactive, online tool that allows users to see how tuition for early-childhood education programs is spent throughout the country.
Marva Hinton, March 2, 2018
2 min read
Early Childhood How Much Would High-Quality, Universal Early Care Cost? Try $140 Billion a Year.
Increased early-childhood funding would knit together a patchwork system that leaves many families struggling to get high-quality care, and that pays many child-care workers poverty-level wages, according to a new committee report.
Christina A. Samuels, March 1, 2018
3 min read
Early Childhood Trump Team May Make Head Start, CHIP a Hurdle for Green Card Applicants
The administration is pondering a rules change that would make it harder for people to get permanent U.S. residency if they're deemed a burden to taxpayers.
Christina A. Samuels, February 13, 2018
1 min read
Federal Early-Childhood Programs Go From Famine to Feast in New Budget Deal
Congress averted a lengthy government shutdown by approving a bill that calls for billions in additional domestic spending, including for subsidized child care and home visiting.
Christina A. Samuels, February 9, 2018
4 min read
Early Childhood How a School-Based Early-Learning Program Boosted Later College Attendance
A new study of the Chicago Child-Parent Centers showed that chidren who attended from preschool through 3rd grade had higher rates of college completion than peers who attended for fewer years.
Christina A. Samuels, February 5, 2018
3 min read
Early Childhood State Leaders Keep Momentum Going on Early-Childhood Education
Two state-based organizations are working to spread knowledge and resources on prekindergarten quality, teacher workforce issues, and funding challenges.
Christina A. Samuels, February 1, 2018
2 min read