Just for Fun

The New York Times reports that PBS is bringing back The Electric Company, a beloved 1970s-era children's television show that uses SNL-style sketches to help children develop literacy skills. The Electric Company was produced by Children's Television Workshop (since renamed Sesame Workshop, which will be producing the new show), the same organization that produces Sesame Street. While Sesame Street is focused on preschool aged students, The Electric Company is pitched to early elementary school students ages 6 to 9. Among other accomplishments, The Electric Company launched the career of Morgan Freeman, appearing here as recurring sketch character Easy Reader.

Kevin Carey puts the smack down on George Will's obligatory Nation at Risk column—and in doing so brings to mind one of the all time best children's literature books for early elementary schoolers.

The headline of this Wall Street Journal article suggests it will tell a much more interesting story than it does. (h/t: reader GT)

Georgia was the first state in the country to introduce universal pre-k.

Oklahoma has the highest percentage (68 percent) of four-year-olds in state pre-k programs.

Alabama pre-k programs met all 10 quality benchmarks in the 2007 NIEER assessment.

Mississippi has no pre-k program.

Not sure what we mean? Here's Cookie Monster:

Answer: Mississippi. Southern states have been leaders in providing state support for quality pre-k programs, but Mississippi is the only state in region that does not have a publicly-financed pre-k program.