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It’s no secret: when it comes to early education, unfortunately, the quality of early education settings nationwide varies dramatically, ranging anywhere from unlicensed, unregulated programs to high-quality, state-of-the-art programs. So what exactly constitutes a “high-quality” program?  NPR set out to discover what separates the “best” from the “rest” and were surprised to find their search […]

Last month, in Indiana, United Way of Central Indiana, Light of the World Christian Church, The Expectations Project and several other community organizations brought over 500 educators, faith leaders, business leaders, and elected officials together for an Early Education Summit focused on improving and expanding early education throughout the state. The keynote speaker was none […]

In response to a recent New York Times Op-Ed, yesterday, we talked about how being an “involved parent” isn’t about simply checking a box, but rather, it’s about being engaged and interacting with our children and finding specific, creative ways to spend quality time with them. Today, as promised, we have one mom with quite the […]

We often talk about how as parents, YOU are your child’s first and most important teacher.  As a parent, you can never underestimate the power of quality time spent with your child. Yet, a recent New York Times Op-Ed from researchers Keith Robinson and Angel L. Harris suggests that parental involvement may be overrated.  We’ll be […]

  You may recall, back in October, we gave you the latest update on Virginia’s Kindergarten Readiness Project (VKRP).  (Need a refresher?  Click here.) Last fall, in partnership with The University of Virginia, we launched Phase I of VKRP, a validity study of Teaching Strategies GOLD (TS GOLD) Assessment to: Validate TS GOLD as an accurate […]

  David Letterman has his “Top 10” lists and so does U.S. Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan! Last week Secretary Duncan spoke at the National Governors Association winter meeting and shared the “Top 10 Ten Reasons Why Expanding High-Quality Early Learning Is Inevitable In The Next Few Years.”  Check them out below: 10.  Greater public awareness […]

Today, we are pleased to share with you the launch of a new initiative from ReadyNation! Ready2Go is a collection of national, state and local early education initiatives with significant business involvement. While many business leaders are passionate advocates for policy change, some also want to tackle hands-on projects that show immediate results. Ready2Go provides diverse examples […]

  In case you missed it, we wanted to make you aware of a recent Inside Business article on the excitement surrounding early education in Virginia this year, which highlights Virginia’s Kindergarten Readiness Project and The New E3 School.  Below is a small excerpt: “Early childhood education proponents are excited about 2014, citing the confluence […]

It’s no secret, in order to stay competitive in the 21st century, we need a strong, ready workforce to propel the state’s economy and ensure our competitiveness in the global marketplace.  One key is working to ensure that our students are prepared for both college and the workforce. Want to join the conversation?  As part […]

  Dear Early Education Advocates, Sadly, last fall, over 10,000 of our own children entered kindergarten behind their peers. Those children rarely catch up; instead, the achievement gap widens over time. Children who enter the K-12 system without being ready are more likely to fall behind grade level expectations, to be held  back, to need […]

It’s time to put Virginia’s kids at the top of your list! Can you imagine entering kindergarten and already feeling behind?  Last year, over 10,000 of Virginia’s kids entered kindergarten not ready. Right now, many children are so far behind when they start school that they may never catch up, and the statistics are not […]

  New international rankings released today reveal that our students are falling further behind their international peers. The 2012 results from Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), which was administered last fall, show that  out of 65 countries assessed, American teens: Rank 31st in math, down six spots from 25th in 2009. Rank 24th in […]

  Yesterday in Washington, Jennifer Garner, award-winning actress and mother of three, lent her voice to support early education as lawmakers unveiled the bipartisan bill, “The Start Strong For America’s Children Act,” which would expand access to high-quality preschool for low- and moderate-income families. “As moms, we all want our children to do the very […]

  The 2013 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) results are in and show Virginia’s incoming fourth graders continue to improve in reading. According to the 2013 NAEP results: 43% of Virginia fourth-graders scored at or above proficient reading levels; a 4% improvement from 39% in 2011. Virginia’s average score exceeded the nation’s average score by […]

In Sunday’s New York Times, Nicholas Kristof wrote a compelling Op-Ed on one red state’s surprising victory with early education.  Did you know that when it comes to early education Oklahoma is at the forefront in providing access to early education? This may come as a surprise to both liberals and conservatives, but as Kristof […]