The Solution
All the challenges we face are also tremendous opportunities. The challenges are great, but the potential reward – enabling our children to reach their full potential – is incredible. There's a long way to go, but we've already made so much progress in so many areas.
Policy & Investment
Affecting change at a policy level takes funding, expertise and sustained effort and
advocacy. Here’s how we make it happen.
Helping our kids starts in Richmond.
Today's students are tomorrow’s workforce.
We know that our children are struggling to learn and we know how to help. Yet nothing will change without support in the state budget from our lawmakers in Richmond. Let’s make early learning a funding priority in Virginia.
Our Policy Platform:
- Increase flexibility and improve the funding formula from early education on up.
- Increase capital funds to leverage public and private dollars to build capacity and expand existing early learning programs.
- Expand The New E3 School Model in Virginia.
- Replicate and scale E3VA’s STREAMin3 curriculum, professional development and coaching program.
- Bridge the gap for middle income families that do not qualify for publicly funded programs.
- Increase funding for the G3 program for early educators to strengthen the workforce pipeline.
- Build out the Virginia Kindergarten Readiness Program (VKRP) to third grade.Increase the number of teachers in every classroom to differentiate instruction and overcome learning and reading gaps.
- Advocate for our children, families, programs and schools.
We’re turning the page on student readiness in Virginia
Curriculum & Assessment
In public schools across the Commonwealth, our Virginia Kindergarten Readiness Program is creating a complete picture of student readiness in Literacy, Mathematics, Social Skills and Self-Regulation as our new Streaming 3 curriculum helps close the readiness gap.
The Virginia Kindergarten
Readiness Program
In 2013, E3VA, in partnership with UVA + VDOE, created a new way to assess a child’s readiness for kindergarten. The result was a more comprehensive assessment program that is now creating a complete picture of student readiness statewide.
Defining The Readiness Gap
In 2014 we began piloting the new assessment program in 16 school divisions and 100 classrooms statewide. Now a statewide program, VKRP expands the assessment of children beyond literacy, to include the school readiness domains of math, social skills, and self-regulation.
VKRP+
In 2022, Governor Youngkin’s budget included a VKRP+ Pilot expansion to 1st, 2nd AND 3rd grade. This is a huge WIN for Virginia's children!
STREAMin3: A statewide curriculum model for early learning
Developed with The University Of Virginia’s Center For Advanced Study Of Teaching & Learning and piloted at the New E3 School in Norfolk, our “StreamIn3” curriculum has now been approved by the Virginia Department of Education for use in all publicly funded classrooms for infants, toddlers and preschoolers.
What’s STREAMin3?
Streamin3 is a comprehensive curriculum for birth-to-5 classrooms that establishes the foundation for a child’s educational career.
- Seamlessly blends academic and social-emotional learning through engaging activities and routines.
- Inspires little minds to think big, be problem-solvers, and embrace their identities and curiosity.
- Empowers educators to make STREAMin3 their own with baked-in, supportive professional development.
A model for early learning. A catalyst for change in Virginia.
The New E3 School
Our state-of-the-art, mixed-income model school for children ages 1-5 puts theory into practice and shows what’s possible! We opened The New E3 School in Norfolk to serve a statewide model for successful early childhood education in Virginia. It’s doing just that.
What’s inside The New E3 School?
- 5 teachers, 135 students, # classrooms
- “StreamIn3” Curriculum Developed In Partnership With The University Of Virginia’s Center For Advanced Study Of Teaching & Learning
- UVa-led Professional Development & Coaching To Improve Quality In The Classroom
- A Literacy Lab
- Nature Playground & Outdoor Classroom
- Healthy Snacks And Lunches
- Special Partnerships Like Crossfit Kids, Which Introduces Children To Everything From Music To Gardening
- Financial Assistance And Scholarships
We can prove that when children have access to high-quality early learning, they enter kindergarten with the academic and ‘soft skills’ they need to be successful.
E3: Elevate Early Education CEO and Founder Lisa Howard
Raise Your Hand, Virginia
Please join us in fighting for equitable, high-quality early education for all children. Together we can make a difference for our kids. Learn more about how you can help.