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Life in Early Childhood Settings

July 2, 2012

A high-quality prekindergarten (preK) education can prepare children for academic success in kindergarten and help develop the social and emotional skills to cope with the demands of early schooling. However, states vary in how much they regulate quality in preK education and the current economic downturn has adversely affected state provision of quality in preK. A newly inaugurated study by UW-Madison education professor Beth Graue and colleague Sharon Ryan compares preK programs in New Jersey and Wisconsin, with a goal of informing debates about the goals of preK and how best to bridge policy and practice so that children receive a quality beginning to their formal education. The study measures classroom quality and student learning to provide needed insight into the links among state standards, preK processes, and outcomes. More information is available here.