Practitioner-Oriented Articles

Since there are a variety of ways to implement early childhood education programs, I focused my practitioner articles on the benefits of high-quality programs and what these high-quality programs may look like. It can be incredibly difficult to maintain high-quality educational programs with tight government funding; for example, many middle-class families do not have the incomes to qualify for subsidies and, consequently, 40% of four-year-olds are estimated to be subject to a cost-quality tradeoff.66 Thus, I chose two articles that focused on the need for these high-quality programs and clarified what “high-quality” can mean in different contexts.

The first article, How Much Can High Quality Universal Pre-K Reduce the Achievement Gap?, focuses on the need for high-quality instructional programs amongst low-income and minority students, who are the least likely to be enrolled in programs strong enough to boost their academic readiness but the most likely to benefit from these programs.67 High-quality and effective pre-K programs tend to a number of similar characteristics, including top-notch teachers, well-planed and engaging curriculum, small class sizes, developmentally appropriate materials and learning activities, and are full-day programs.68 As the authors note, access to quality programs varies significantly from state-to-state; only two states and the District of Columbia have the framework and funding to support high-quality learning environments and standards.69 White and affluent children are the most likely to have access to high-quality classrooms, as shown in Figure 2.70 However, high-quality universal pre-K programs could expand this access to poor students and students of color and the authors review evidence that suggests this program would significantly reduce the achievement gap at kindergarten along both racial and social lines. Table 2 highlights this promise: low-income students and students of color experience the largest reductions in kindergarten achievement gaps from these programs, with African American children experience a 45% and 98% reduction in the math and reading gaps, respectively, and low-income children experiencing a 27% and 41% reduction in the math and reading gaps, respectively.71

However, high-quality early childhood education must be able to adjust to the needs of different students, as highlighted in an archived article by the Obama Administration titled, Supporting Dual Language Learners in Early Learning Settings. Early childhood education programs must cater to Dual Language Learners (DLLs), which is becoming increasingly common: roughly 20% of school-aged children are DLLs, and nearly 33% of children in Head Start programs are. Since research points to the efficacy of bilingual development for DLLs, the Obama Administration designed policy to ensure that this demographic would have access to the support it needed in early childhood education programs. This initiative included a culturally-sensitive and collaborative approach for schools to incorporate students’ families and cultures and a free Electronic Toolkit that included resources to assist DLLs in the home, in the classroom, and in their communities. The report also lauds a number of organizations that are making efforts to better serve these groups; for example, First Five California launched a pilot program to support DLLs through professional development programs, family partnerships, and appropriate assessments, while New America issued a report regarding the importance of linguistically diverse teachers.72

These reports highlight the need for culturally sensitive and relevant approaches to education that are driven by the demands of students. While the community-based nature of grassroots organizations allows them to effectively cater to these demands in many scenarios, it can be harder to institute this approach at a state and federal level. However, these reports provide promise that these programs do work and that they can be done at a large level.


Friedman-Krauss et al. (2016). Figure 2: African American, Hispanic, and Low-Income Children Access High-Quality Programs at Lower Rates. [Electronic Image]. Retrieved from Friedman-Krauss, A., Steven Barnett, W., & Nores, M. (2016). How Much Can High-Quality Universal Pre-K Reduce Achievement Gaps?. The Center for American Progress and The National Institute for Early Education Research, p. 9.

Friedman-Krauss et al. (2016). Table 2: Estimated Reductions in Kindergarten Achievement Gaps after Implementing a High-Quality UPK Program. [Electronic Image]. Retrieved from Friedman-Krauss, A., Steven Barnett, W., & Nores, M. (2016). How Much Can High-Quality Universal Pre-K Reduce Achievement Gaps?. The Center for American Progress and The National Institute for Early Education Research, p. 12.


Friedman-Krauss, A., Steven Barnett, W., & Nores, M. (2016). How Much Can High-Quality Universal Pre-K Reduce Achievement Gaps?. The Center for American Progress and The National Institute for Early Education Research, 1-29. Retrieved from http://nieer.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/NIEER-AchievementGaps-report.pdf.

Office of the Press Secretary. (2016). Archived Information: Supporting Dual Language Learners in Early Learning Settings. U.S. Department of Education. Retrieved from https://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/fact-sheet-supporting-dual-language-learners-early-learning-settings?utm_name=.

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