Why School Reform Should Begin With Pre-K

In the past, too many school reform conversations have begun at the kindergarten door, but that is changing. We think it particularly noteworthy that the latest issue of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) quarterly journal American Educator features two articles devoted preschool education. In their article “The Promise of Preschool,” NIEER Co-Directors Ellen Frede and Steve Barnett make the case that preschool programs have important academic and social benefits for middle-income children as well as more disadvantaged kids and that if high-quality preschool were offered to all children, the benefits would far outweigh the costs.

American Educator assistant editor Jennifer Dubin follows up with an excellent companion piece that hones in on the ingredients that spell success at the Ignacio Cruz Early Childhood Center in Perth Amboy, New Jersey.