| Author(s): | Guernsey, L., and Mead, S. |
| Title: | A next social contract for the primary years of education |
| Source: | http://earlyed.newamerica.net/sites/newamerica.... |
| Date: | 2010 |
| Organization: | New America Foundation |
| Short Description: | This report advocates for a “next social contract” – a new system of public policies that foster a more seamless system connecting districts, schools, Head Start and independent centers of early learning (like preschools or high-quality child care centers). It recommends a “PreK-3rd” approach that includes voluntary universal pre-kindergarten programs, full-day kindergarten, and high-quality standards and curriculum for pre-k through the third grade. |
| Annotation: | Research shows that education investments in the earliest years of life make the greatest difference in the educational outcomes of children and can have a long-term impact on the workforce and citizenry of the United States. Yet today's education policies do not reflect that understanding, nor do they do nearly enough to prompt improvements in the primary years of our public education system. This report, “A Next Social Contract for the Primary Years of Education,” envisions a transformation of our education system into one that serves children starting at age 3, erases the artificial divide between “preschool” and “K-12” programs and extends high-quality teaching up through the early grades of elementary school.
The report advocates for a “next social contract” – a new system of public policies that foster a more seamless system connecting districts, schools, Head Start and independent centers of early learning (like preschools or high-quality child care centers). It recommends a “PreK-3rd” approach that includes voluntary universal pre-kindergarten programs, full-day kindergarten, and high-quality standards and curriculum for pre-k through the third grade. It also requires parental engagement and highly qualified teachers who share data and professional development within and across grades. |
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