Policy Analysis

A Review of the Reason Foundation’s Report on Preschool and Kindergarten By W. Steven Barnett 2006 Summary NIEER Director Steve Barnett’s analysis finds that the Reason Foundation (RF) report is an unreliable source of information about preschool educa

By Debra J. Ackerman and W. Steven Barnett NIEER Policy Brief (Issue 11, July 2006) Summary Although positive gains have been produced by high-quality preschool programs, the quality of programs currently available is far from uniform, with the vast ma

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 k

The Benefits of Prekindergarten for Middle Income Children By Karen Schulman and W. Steven Barnett NIEER Policy Report (March 2005) View the full policy report Summary Many children from middle-income families enter kindergarten behind their peers, oft

By Judi Boyd, W. Steven Barnett, Elena Bodrova, Deborah J. Leong, and Deanna Gomby NIEER Policy Brief (March 2005) Summary This policy brief describes the importance of social and emotional development of children, reviews the evidence that high-qualit

By Debra J. Ackerman and W. Steven Barnett NIEER Policy Report (March 2005) Summary What does school readiness mean? From age-eligibility requirements to readiness testing and from academics to social skills, it often depends on whom you ask. Studies h

By Karen Schulman NIEER Policy Report (March 2005) View the full policy report Summary Studies have shown that high-quality prekindergarten can better prepare children for school, increase their chances of academic success, and even enable them to avoi

Making the Most of Kindergarten: Present Trends and Future Issues in the Provision of Full-day Programs By Debra J. Ackerman, W. Steven Barnett, and Kenneth B. Robin NIEER Policy Report (March 2005) Summary Policymakers considering the shift to full-da

By W. Steven Barnett, Karen Schulman, and Rima Shore NIEER Policy Brief (Issue 9, December 2004) Summary Is there a link between class size and the quality of preschool? Do the gains to children in the form of more individual attention and fewer stress

By W. Steven Barnett NIEER Policy Brief (Issue 2, revised December 2004) Summary Research has linked early learning and development to the educational qualifications of teachers. The most effective preschool teachers – those with at least a four-year c

By Ann S. Epstein, Lawrence J. Schweinhart, Andrea DeBruin-Parecki and Kenneth B. Robin NIEER Policy Brief (Issue 7, July 2004) Summary This brief from NIEER examines assessment of learning among preschoolers and the trend toward increased standardized

By W. Steven Barnett, Kirsty Brown, and Rima Shore NIEER Policy Brief (Issue 6, April 2004) Summary The debate over universal vs. targeted preschool programs is explored in this policy brief. While targeted programs traditionally have lower costs, univ

By Elena Bodrova, Deborah Leong, and Rima Shore NIEER Policy Brief (Issue 5, March 2004) Summary In the early childhood field, terms such as building blocks, desired results, or learning goals have all been used to describe the kinds of development and

NIEER Policy Brief (Issue 4, September 2003) Summary What will it cost to give Head Start the tools it needs to succeed? It will take an investment in teachers. A fully certified teacher in every Head Start classroom stands as the single most effective

By W. Steven Barnett NIEER Policy Brief (Issue 3, May 2003) Summary Evidence points to the low wages and benefits offered to preschool teachers as the single most important factor in hiring and keeping good teachers. In fact, preschool programs with th

By Linda M. Espinosa NIEER Policy Brief (Issue 1, November 2002) Summary Research has shown that 3- and 4-year-olds, especially those who are at risk for school failure, when placed in high-quality preschool programs are more successful in their future