Early Childhood Focus

Alabama sees Pre-K success

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 17:18:07 PST

EXCERPT FROM: WRBL
By Liz Buckthorpe
PHENIX CITY, Ala. -- Pre-K programs are said to be suffering across the nation. However according to Phenix City schools superintendant Dr. Larry DiChiara that is not the case across Alabama and certainly not true for Phenix City Schools.

House panel unveils proposed education budget

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 16:41:39 PST

EXCERPT FROM: The Florida Times-Union
By Matt Dixon
The panel tasked with crafting the House's education budget unveiled their first proposal.

Apples and Oranges: Comparing the House and Senate ESEA Proposals

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 18:10:34 PST

EXCERPT FROM: New America Foundation
By Laura Bornfreund
Both the House and Senate are currently considering proposals to reauthorize No Child Left Behind, the 2001 iteration of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. It is unlikely that either of these will actually become law; the Senate education committee�s comprehensive bill and the House education committee�s package of five bills have little in common and, in the House�s case, no bipartisan support, leaving few opportunities for compromise. It�s worth taking a close look at the proposals on the table, however, to get a feel for how each Congressional delegation is thinking about education policy. The bills take different paths in several areas, and below we highlight five: early learning, federal funding, school improvement, teacher and leader quality, and the future of Race to the Top and the Obama administration�s other education reform grant programs.

Expansion in pre-K programs curtailed in recession

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 17:14:34 PST

EXCERPT FROM: Boston.com
By Kimberly Hefling
The expansion in public prekindergarten programs has slowed and even been reversed in some states as school districts cope with shrinking budgets. As a result, many 3- and 4-year-olds aren�t going to preschool.

Pre-K program organizers are trying to do the same with less

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 15:59:18 PST

EXCERPT FROM: The Times-News
By Chris Lavender
HAW RIVER � Jordan Claassen laughed and played with her classmates at Haw River Elementary School�s Pre-K class on Friday just before going to lunch.

Some educators pushing for required preschool, all-day Kindergarten in Utah

Fri, 06 Jan 2012 16:27:39 PST

EXCERPT FROM: KSL.com
By Mary Richards
SALT LAKE CITY -- Countless studies have shown the benefit of preschool and all-day Kindergarten, but neither is required in the state of Utah. Some educators are saying they should be.

Deal: State needs to add back 10 pre-k days

Thu, 05 Jan 2012 16:06:45 PST

EXCERPT FROM: Atlanta Journal-Constitution
By Nancy Badertscher
Lawmakers will be asked to restore some of the budget cuts that created an exodus of Georgia�s pre-kindergarten teachers, the governor's office said late Thursday.

R.B. District seeks $4M grant to expand pre-K

Wed, 28 Dec 2011 14:30:00 PST

EXCERPT FROM: The Hub
By Kristen Dalton
RED BANK � The Red Bank Public School District is seeking a $4,200,403 preschool expansion grant that would fund six additional classrooms to accommodate nearly 100 more students in the preschool program next year.

Oregon to seek powerful 'chief education officer' to revamp preschool, public schools, colleges

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 09:48:10 PST

EXCERPT FROM: Oregon Live
By Betsy Hammond
Oregon plans to recruit and hire a new "chief education officer" who will have unprecedented power over education, including control of the chancellor of higher education, the next superintendent of Oregon's public schools and the state community college commissioner.

Rewrite of School Lunch Rules Falls Short of Goals

Wed, 30 Nov 2011 17:53:52 PST

EXCERPT FROM: Education Week
By Nirvi Shah
When the U.S. Department of Agriculture decides by the end of the year what school meals should look like, the agency will not be able to make all the changes it proposed in January, including placing limits on one food linked to obesity.

Pre-K Standards Set by Florida Board of Education

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 14:52:57 PST

EXCERPT FROM: South Florida Sun-Sentinel
By Laura Isensee
The Florida Board of Education on Tuesday approved new learning standards for taxpayer-funded prekindergarten programs at its meeting at Miami Edison Senior High.

New Jersey's Poorest Districts Get More Pre-K Money

Fri, 23 Sep 2011 10:26:55 PST

EXCERPT FROM: Education Week
By Maureen Kelleher
Yesterday, the Education Law Center, which represents the plaintiffs in New Jersey's Abbott school funding case, announced that New Jersey has increased pre-K funds to its 31 poorest districts to comply with the preschool aid component of the state's education funding formula.

Pre-K Programs Close Achievement Gaps

Wed, 21 Sep 2011 10:22:13 PST

EXCERPT FROM: Seminole Chronicle
By Brandi Broxson
It's never too early to love learning, even if it starts before kindergarten.

Idaho Not Likely to Compete for Preschool Money

Mon, 19 Sep 2011 12:15:34 PST

EXCERPT FROM: Houston Chronicle
By Jessie L. Bonner
BOISE, Idaho (AP) � The state Department of Education has recommended Idaho abandon efforts to compete for up to $50 million in federal grant money to improve preschool education programs during the latest round of the "Race to the Top" contest.

Nobel Learning Communities, Inc. Introduces Enhanced Pre-K Curriculum in Response to National Common Core Standards for Kindergarten

Tue, 13 Sep 2011 17:01:42 PST

EXCERPT FROM: Market Watch
By PR NEWSWIRE
WEST CHESTER, Pa., Sept. 12, 2011 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Nobel Learning Communities, Inc., announces that it is one of the first national private education providers to enhance its Pre-K curriculum in response to new national Common Core Standards for Kindergarten. In June 2010, the National Governor's Association and the Chief State School Officers introduced a new set of national K-12 education standards to serve as national benchmarks in math and English. In response to the new standards, Nobel Learning Communities has enhanced its signature Links to Learning curriculum to prepare students for success in kindergarten.

Pre-K Classes Lay Foundation for Education

Fri, 09 Sep 2011 15:43:06 PST

EXCERPT FROM: The Augusta Chronicle
By Lynn Davidson
Last Friday was the first day of school for 4-year-olds in Richmond County , and many spent the day learning skills they will use throughout their primary educational years and beyond.

Law Enforcement Supports Pre-K Funding In Clarksville

Thu, 08 Sep 2011 15:47:07 PST

EXCERPT FROM: NewsChannel5.com
By STAFF
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - Currently, underprivileged children get into Pre-K on a lottery system in Tennessee; but what they may be winning is more than a year in school, it could be a life away from crime.

Pre-K Ruling Stands, But GOP is Critical

Wed, 07 Sep 2011 15:57:24 PST

EXCERPT FROM: NewsObserver.com
By Jane Stancill
North Carolina cannot impose a cap that limits pre-kindergarten for low-income 4-year-olds, a Superior Court judge reaffirmed in a new order that also swatted down attempts by Republican legislative leaders to intervene in the issue.

Stark 20/20: Preschool Key to Child's Development

Wed, 17 Aug 2011 14:37:13 PST

EXCERPT FROM: CantonRep.com
By Denise Sautters
Are Stark County children more prepared for kindergarten and beyond than they were 10 years ago?

Miss. Going After $50 Million for Pre-K funding

Tue, 16 Aug 2011 18:24:30 PST

EXCERPT FROM: WLBT 3
By Mike McDaniel
JACKSON, MS (WLBT) - While many educators say you can't put a price on education; in this case, you can and it's $50 million.