Early Ed Watch

Yesterday we wrote about a new report on southern states' efforts to improve early-education. Another new report, on Georgia's pre-k program, shows that that there is always room for improvement, even for states at the head of the pack. Georgia was the first state in the country to offer universal pre-kindergarten for every four-year-old, beginning in 1995. In doing so it helped launch today's national pre-k movement. Now in its 13^th year, Georgia's Bright from the Start pre-k program needs to refocus on improving both enrollment and quality if it wants to remain a pacesetter for the national pre-k movement.

We've written previously about how southern states are leading the way in expanding access to quality pre-k. They're also among the national leaders in expanding access to full-day kindergarten.

But did you know that southern states are also leaders in improving academic achievement in the early grades? That's what a new report from the Southern Regional Education Board shows. On the 2007 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), the state with the greatest increase in the percentage of students reading at the proficient level was Alabama, and the state with the greatest increase in the percentage of students proficient in math was West Virginia--both southern states. In the 1992 NAEP, only one southern state--Virginia--had a higher percentage of 4th grade students proficient on in reading and math than the national average (Maryland had a higher percentage proficient in math, and Oklahoma had a higher percentage proficient in reading). On the 2007 NAEP, seven southern states bested national averages for the percentage of students proficienct in reading or math, and four--Delaware, Florida, Maryland, and Virginia--did so in both subjects. Most important, low-income students from southern states are outperforming their peers nationally on the NAEP.

The Cato Institute's Adam Schaffer is much too smart to believe that his latest argument that pre-k is ineffective holds water. Schaeffer argues that Oklahoma's pre-k program isn't improving student achievement, because Oklahoma's performance on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) has declined, relative to the national average, since the early 1990s.

This argument is seriously flawed. For starters, the comparisons Shaeffer is making are invalid because he's comparing NAEP results for different cohorts of students--and there are real differences between those cohorts. Since the early 1990s, the proportion of Oklahoma children who are Hispanic and who are English language learners has risen dramatically, a difference that needs to be taken account when comparing performance of current and past cohorts of Oklahoma students. Similarly, Schaeffer's analysis doesn't consider other factors besides pre-k--such as changes in standards, curriculum, or funding--that may or may not have occurred in Oklahoma's public schools during this time period, potentially affecting student performance. Schaeffer has training in research methods, so he has to know that using NAEP score changes to draw conclusions about the effects of Oklahoma's pre-k program, without controlling for other factors in play, is totally meaningless.

Secretary Spellings Defends Reading First

The disappointing results of the May IES report on Reading First impacts haven't dampened Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings enthusiasm for the program. On Monday, Spellings released the results of several state evaluations of Reading First that show that the program, which found gains in reading comprehension, as measured by state assessments, for children participating inthe Reading First, including English Language Learners and students with disabilities. Louisiana reported that fewer students need special education after participating in the program, Arkansas said that Reading First schools did better on a third-grade benchmark exam than did non-participants, and California reported that gains from the program continued through grade 4. President Bush proposed to restore funding for Reading First to $1 billion next year, but the House Subcommittee that oversees education appropriations voted earlier this month to eliminate Reading First funding altogether.

Earlier today we wrote about legislation that the District of Columbia passed last month to establish universal pre-k here in Washington, D.C. Today D.C.'s other legislative body--Congress--took a small step towards helping more states follow the District's example here.

The House Committee on Education and Labor today approved H.R. 3289, the PRE-K Act, sponsored by Rep. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawai'i), which creates a partnership between the federal government and the states to improve pre-k quality and access.

Last month, the District of Columbia Council took an important step towards making universal pre-k a reality in the District by passing Pre-Kindergarten Expansion and Enhancement Act. This new, comprehensive legislation seeks to provide pre-k to every 3- and 4- year old in the District whose parents want it by 2014. The legislation is good news for kids and parents in the District of Columbia, but it's just the first step. Now the District faces the even greater challenge of building a high-quality District-wide pre-k system out of the current network of disparate programs providing early education and care in the nation's capital.

As early education analysts, we DO NOT RECOMMEND this. But it is pretty funny. Based on our, admittedly nonscientific, survey of the available data, Sen. Obama seems to be winning the key demographic of people who put politically oriented videos of their babies on YouTube. Maybe if Sen. McCain outlined an early education agenda he'd get more support from the tech-savvy infant and toddler demographic.

Last week the Rhode Island legislature passed legislation to allow the creation of "Mayoral Academies," a new type of charter schools that would allow Mayors to recruit high-quality, nationally proven charter school operators to open new charter schools in their cities. Its a great idea that should help foster quality growth in what's currently a relatively weak charter school sector in Rhode Island. Previously, all charter schools in Rhode Island had to be approved by the State Department of Education, and that, combined with a moratorium on new charter schools that is set to expire this month, have kept the number of charter schools small. Evidence from Indianapolis, where the Mayor is authorized to grant school charters, suggests that enabling Mayors to authorize charter schools can produce good results.

It's summer: School's out, the sun is shining, and millions of young children are without childcare. Of the more than 25 million children aged 6 to 12 who are beginning their summer vacation, one third are in organized care programs, such as summer school, recreation programs or a day camp. Another third are in the care of relatives. And 11 percent are left on their own. Not surprisingly, children from wealthier families are more likely to be in a high-quality program, while many low- and middle- income parents are left scrambling to find care that is both safe and will support their child's educational growth.

Early Ed Watch is at Head Start's 9th National Research Conference this morning, and as long as our wifi connection holds up, we'll be bringing you live coverage of what we hear and learn here. This morning's keynote session features UNC-Chapel Hill's Peg Burchinal and UVA's Robert Pianta discussing "Competencies and Credentials for Early Childhood Educators: What Do We Know and What Do We Need to Know?" Relevant background reading here.

8:50: The Office of Head Start's Patricia Brown discusses the Office's implementation of the recent Head Start reauthorization, and the importance of research in supporting that reauthorization, in light of that legislation's emphasis on scientifically based practice.

8:53: SRCD Executive Director Lonnie Sherrod notes that this conference starts very early in the morning (there's a session at 7 AM tomorrow). Sherrod notes that Head Start, unlike many other federal programs, was created with active involvement from child development experts, establishing a unique relationship between the Head Start program and the early childhood research community.