Investing in high-quality pre-kindergarten education yields benefits for kids, school, and communities.
With an additional two-year grant from The Pew Charitable Trusts, the Center has added two new partners to its pre-K network: The Alabama Association of School Boards and the Kentucky School Boards Association. Both new and former partners—the Kansas, Ohio, and Texas state school boards associations—will work with the Center to build collaborations with other education groups and pre-K advocates, and increase the school board role in this vital issue. For the past two years the Center and its partners have worked to inform local school board members, state policymakers, and the general public about the benefits of pre-k education and effective pre-k policies and programs.
Learn more about our partners and from research, presentations, and other resources listed below.
Partners
Alabama Association of School Boards
www.alabamaschoolboards.org/
Kentucky School Boards Association
www.ksba.org
Kansas Association of School Boards
www.kasb.org
Ohio School Boards Association
www.osba-ohio.org
Texas Association of School Boares
www.tasb.org
Research
A growing body of research is showing that high-quality pre-kindergarten yields academic benefits for children and economic savings for communities. The Center reviews this research and describes the short- and long-term gains that high-quality pre-k helps produce. The review focuses primarily on state-funded pre-k programs—whether school or community based—and on model early childhood programs with similar education goals.
Key Lessons
An at-a-glance summary of findings from research about the effectiveness of pre-k.
Research Review
A synthesis of research on the effectiveness of pre-k.
Q&A
Research-based answers to questions about pre-k.
Pre-K Presentations
Planning for pre-kindergarten: A toolkit for school boards
(Powerpoint)
Presentation at NSBA's 2009 annual conference on the work completed to-date by a partnership between NSBA’s Center for Public Education and state school board associations with funding from the Pew Charitable Trusts.
Many Happy Returns: School boards and prekindergarten
(Powerpoint)
Patte Barth presented on the leadership role school boards are playing in pre-k in several states at the Federation Presidents' Retreat in Pittsburgh, August 16, 2008.
WEBINAR: Many Happy Returns: Why Pre-K is a good investment
(Powerpoint) (Windows Media Video)
Chrisanne Gayl, director of federal programs for NSBA, and Patte Barth, director of the Center for Public Education conducted this webinar on May 6, 2008.
Many Happy Returns: Why School Boards Should Care About Pre-K
(Powerpoint)
Patte Barth, director of the Center for Public Education, at the Wisconsin 2008 State Education Convention in Milwaukee, January 23, 2008.
Advancing Quality Pre-K in All States
(Powerpoint) (PDF)
Overview of The Pew Charitable Trusts initiative to encourage high-quality early learning opportunities for all 3- and 4-year-olds. Presentation by Sara Watson, Pew Charitable Trusts.
Exploring the School Connection
(PDF)
How does pre-K relate to school improvement? What child outcomes should we expect? Presentation by Jana Martella, executive director, National Association of Early Childhood Specialists in State Departments of Education.
Pre-K Momentum
(PDF)
Progress toward Pre-K Now's vision of all children entering kindergarten prepared to succeed. Presentation by Libby Doggett, executive director, Pre-K Now.
State Pre-K Programs: What Do We Know?
(Powerpoint) (PDF)
What are the short- and long-term benefits of pre-K? What does the research say about pre-K quality? Presentation by Eileen O'Brien and Chuck Dervarics, education researchers and writers.
Engaging School Board Members in Pre-K for All
Powerpoint
Presentation by Patte Barth, director, Center for Public Education, NSBA Annual Conference 2007
Exploring the Federal Role in Pre-K
Powerpoint
Presentation by Chrisanne Gayle, NSBA director of federal programs, NSBA Annual Conference 2007
Pre-K in Kansas
Powerpoint
Presentation by Tom Krebs, Kansas Association of School Boards, NSBA Annual Conference 2007
Pre-K in Ohio
Powerpoint
Presentation by Maryse Gonzalez, Ohio School Boards Association, NSBA Annual Conference 2007
Pre-K in Texas
Powerpoint
Presentation by Janice Esau, Texas Association of School Boards, NSBA Annual Conference 2007,
Pre-kindergarten: What research says
Powerpoint
Patte Barth, director of the Center for Public Education, and Sandy Cajigas of NSBA’s National Affiliate program provide an overview of pre-k research, state trends, and the federal role in this presentation to the Washington State School Directors’ Association annual conference in Seattle on November 15, 2007.
News
Pre-K Primer Archive
Additional Resources
Press Release 2008, "NSBA’s Center for Public Education Receives Pew Grant"
PDF
Press Release, "NSBA's Center for Public Education Receives Pew Grant"
PDF
"Many Happy Returns." Brochure explaining the research-based benefits of pre-kindergarten.
PDF
Pre-kindergarten resources. School boards and pre-k; organizations; and publications, articles and other resources.
A comprehensive list of resources for those interested in exploring issues around pre-kindergarten.
We gratefully acknowledge The Pew Charitable Trusts for its support of our work related to pre-K. The views expressed are those of the Center for Public Education and not necessarily those of The Pew Charitable Trusts.
