PreK-3rd Strategies Can Improve Education in the Golden State

Strengthening education in the face of severe state budget problems may seem an impossible goal. But a new report released today by the New America Foundation shows that not only is it possible, it’s already happening. A small but growing number of counties, school districts, and charter schools in California are making progress toward building seamless PreK-3rd early education systems—a promising strategy to narrow achievement gaps and raise student achievement.

Key state officials, along with early childhood advocates and school reformers, have taken some important first steps and now need to exert leadership to raise the profile of and create a sense of urgency around PreK-3rd reform as a strategy to close achievement gaps and boost academic performance.

"On the Cusp in California: How PreK-3rd Strategies Could Improve Education in the Golden State" seeks to help policymakers and advocates in California understand PreK-3rd strategies—the promise of leading reform efforts, the hurdles, and the steps the state can take to overcome them.

The report recommends 13 steps to getting this done—many of which are relatively low cost and may even help California compete for federal education grants, such as the Race to the Top program and the proposed Early Learning Challenge fund.

For example, the report recommends that the state:

• Implement a voluntary Quality Rating and Improvement System
• Include Pre-K in broader conversations about reforming the state's school finance system
• Implement a comprehensive early childhood data system
• Replicate and scale up effective PreK-3rd models
• Establish a PreK-3rd teaching credential

Please contact Elizabeth Wu with press inquiries at (510) 295-9859 or wu@newamerica.net