Hispanics and Early Learning
“While Hispanics are currently the largest minority group in the American public education system, they have the lowest participation in early learning programs. In 2010, only 40% of Hispanic children ages three to five years of age are enrolled, and of those enrolled, many are not part of a quality program.”
Source: White House Initiatives on Educational Excellence for Hispanics

Tell us why early childhood education is so important!
The Early Learning Institute at ECS is looking for personal stories from educators that illustrate the importance of providing a high-quality early education. Stories will be featured in future ECS P-3 Newsletters. Make submissions to Emily Workman at eworkman@ecs.org.

Utah: Early Literacy/Accountability
If for two consecutive years a Utah district fails to make strides toward the state’s goal of having 90% of 3rd graders reading proficiently, then the district will lose money, under a new rule approved by the state education department. At stake is $30 million in reading-intervention funds used by districts. The rule is mandated by a new law to enhance an existing K-3 Reading Improvement Program.

Nebraska: Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS)
Governor Heineman recently signed L.B. 507 into law, creating a statewide QRIS system that will hold participating childcare and early childhood education programs accountable for providing high-quality care. Participating programs will receive additional support including professional development, training, and postsecondary education opportunities.

Social-Emotional Learning is Critical
The American Institutes for Research argues that social-emotional learning is critical for student academic learning and identifies the instructional practices that promote social-emotional development and showcases how three popular professional teaching frameworks embed practices that influence not only student academic learning but also student social and emotional competencies.

Is Education Really Poverty’s Great Equalizer?
Of the 35 richest countries, the United States has the second highest child poverty rate; first highest is Romania. Twenty-two percent of American children are living in poverty and while education has long been touted as the great equalizer, researchers find this is more myth than reality. Luckily, researchers have identified strategies for mitigating poverty’s influence on educational outcomes.

Webinar: A Comprehensive State Policy Strategy to Improve 3rd-Grade Reading Proficiency
The National Governors Association is hosting a webinar focused on their recently published report created to support states’ efforts to develop, refine, and implement policies that address the challenge of increasing 3rd-grade reading proficiency, titled A Governor's Guide to Early Literacy: Getting All Students Reading by Third Grade. The webinar will provide an overview of NGA's policy recommendations that are critical for a comprehensive state strategy for improving early reading proficiency. In addition, participants will learn about on-the-ground initiatives that focus on three of the policy levers covered in the report: early care and education, family engagement, and educator preparation and professional development.