New America Releases Video on Effective School Reform that Features Montgomery County Schools

Today the New America Foundation's Early Education Initiative released a short (7 min) video, "Fighting Fade-Out Through PreK-3rd Reform," which makes the case for comprehensive PreK-3rd reforms that begin with high-quality early childhood education programs and build on the benefits of those programs through the elementary school years and beyond.

Research has documented impressive academic advantages among children who attend high-quality early education programs. Yet many teachers have seen the promise of programs like pre-kindergarten and Head Start "fade-out" by the time children finish 3rd grade because their elementary schools are not prepared to nurture and sustain this early growth.

The video features a discussion with Dr. Jerry Weast, Superintendent of Montgomery County Schools in Maryland, a district that has successfully used PreK-3rd reform as a way to close achievement gaps and improve academic success for all students in the district.

Video of the entire (30 min) conversation with Dr. Weast is available here.

In a related post on the Early Ed Watch blog, New America's Christina Satkowski argues that schools receiving funds under the stimulus legislation should consider PreK-3rd reform as a way to build a solid foundation for success in elementary school and beyond.

To learn more about PreK-3rd reform, please contact Christina Satkowski at Satkowski@newamerica.net.

Please direct media inquiries to Erin Drankoski, 202-997-8727, drankoski@newamerica.net.

About New America  The New America Foundation is a nonprofit, nonpartisan public policy institute that invests in new thinkers and new ideas to address the next generation of challenges facing the United States.

Learn More About: Christina Satkowski, Sara Mead
Related Programs: Early Education Initiative, Education Policy Program
Topics: Education