OTHER RESEARCH AND REPORTS

One, Two, Buckle My Shoe
A report from the National Research Council calls for a national initiative to improve mathematics education for preschoolers. Christopher T. Cross, chair of the committee that wrote the report, said, "Evidence shows that early success in math is linked to later success in both math and reading. Given the increasing importance of science and technology in everyday life and for gaining entry into many careers, it's crucial that we give all children a strong foundation in math and that we start many years before they enter formal schooling." The Council identified which math concepts should be emphasized in early childhood settings.

Learn Like a Baby
Researchers from a host of different fields - neuroscience, psychology and education, to name a few - are making key discoveries about how humans learn. For example, babies as young as eight months old gather statistics and make complex calculations, says Patricia Kuhl, a neuroscientist. Social interaction is also much more important than previously thought. How babies learn, and what we can learn from them, is the subject of a report in Science Daily.

Sparking Brain Power
Connecting Neurons, Concepts, and People takes nine key findings from the emerging science on brain development - from the explosive growth in the prenatal period to the production of neurons even in adulthood - and uses them as the basis for six policy recommendations for programs for young children. This two-page fact sheet is part of the Preschool Policy Facts series available online from the National Institute for Early Education Research.

Prescription for a Healthier America
Among the 10 recommendations offered by the Commission on a Healthier America is that the U.S. ensure that all children have access to high-quality early child care, education and other services. The commission notes that brain, cognitive and behavioral development early in life are strongly linked to health later in life.

Preschool Enrollment Gains
The State of Preschool 2008 finds enrollment in prekindergarten has increased in 33 of 38 states that provide funding. Virginia ranks 24th nationally, with just 13 percent of 4-year-olds enrolled in state-funded programs. Who does better? Oklahoma has 90 percent of 4-year-olds in public education programs, while seven states - Florida, Georgia, Vermont, Texas, West Virginia, Wisconsin and New York - enroll more than half of 4-year-olds in some type of public preschool program.

Early Education Linked to Military Readiness
Two top military leaders say U.S. national security is compromised by the number of young people who lack a high school diploma, are in poor physical shape or have a criminal record. Army Gen. Hugh Shelton, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 1997 to 2001, and John H. Dalton, secretary of the Navy from 1993 to 1998, argue that early childhood education for at-risk children is needed to protect the U.S. in the long run.

Powell: Put Kids First
Retired Gen. Colin Powell's message to the 111th Congress: to restore economic health, "put our children first." In a recent editorial, Powell argues that our nation's "dismal high school graduation rate" places our economic future and national security at risk.

Winning State Policy Options
Achievement gaps are present by age three among low income children and persist during the school years, according to Helen Stebbins of the National Center for Children in Poverty (NCCP). However, high-quality early care and learning can have a positive impact. NCCP's "Improving the Odds for Young Children Initiative" identifies state policy options that raise the odds for success in school and life.

Less Class Time for Science
In case you missed it, here's a recent Washington Post article showing that science education has been scaled back in schools across our region. Unlike reading and math, science test scores are not used to hold schools accountable under the No Child Left Behind law. Another Post story revealed how brain research is unlocking the secrets to learning and implications for the classroom.

More Bang for the Buck
In the past, public spending on children began at age 5 or 6, when they entered school. Now, a majority of states are investing in pre-K education. A new report examines shifting attitudes and identifies sound opportunities for public investment in programs for young children. "Supporting Young Children and Families: An Investment that Pays," is available from Brookings.