NIEER to Gauge West Virginia’s Early Learning Quality
NIEER is partnering with the West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE) and Marshall University’s College of Education and Professional Development to conduct a multi-year study of the long-term impact of high-quality early learning programming on later student achievement.
The study aims to determine how children who attend a West Virginia Universal Pre-K program fare in the areas of math, language, literacy and social skills compared to those children who did not attend a West Virginia Universal Pre-K program. The study also aims to determine the overall quality of programming in early grades.
“We are extremely pleased to have the opportunity to partner with NIEER with this study highlighting specific information about how we can help make systemic improvements to ultimately increase student achievement across all grade levels,” said West Virginia Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Steven Paine. “It is critical that we begin to address gaps in achievement early through a comprehensive approach that looks at the whole child—not just their academic development.”