Policy Brief/Analysis
Early Literacy: Policy and Practice in the Preschool Years
Date
April 1, 2006
By Dorothy S. Strickland and Shannon Riley-Ayers
NIEER Policy Brief (Issue 10, April 2006)
Summary
As early childhood education moves front and center in the public policy debate, more attention is being paid to early literacy. Early literacy plays a key role in enabling the kind of early learning experiences that research shows are linked with academic achievement, reduced grade retention, higher graduation rates and enhanced productivity in adult life. This policy brief synthesizes the body of professional knowledge about early literacy and offers research-based recommendations.