"The fact is that extended early-childhood intervention has been proven to work. We have little to show, on the other hand, for our vast expenditures on Title I in its current form," said Ed Zigler, long-time policy advocate for young children and founder of Head Start. Title 1 is the major federal funding stream for elementary and secondary schools for programs serving large numbers of disadvantaged students.

Oklahoma's universal pre-K program has shown dramatic benefits for Hispanic students who participate in high-quality preschool programs. These children, especially those from Spanish-speaking homes, improve their English and cognitive development skills and are more likely to be prepared for kindergarten than those not enrolled.

As part of the 2007 reauthorization of Head Start, State Advisory Councils on Early Childhood Education and Care established Zero to Three for children from birth to school entry. The ZERO TO THREE Policy Center and the National Governors Association's Center for Best Practices is hosting a webinar on January 29, 2009 at 2:00 pm EST on including a focus on infants and toddlers in State Advisory Councils on Early Childhood Education and Care.

The National Center for Special Education Research has released a dynamic website that lets the public generate tables and comparisons using data from the Pre-Elementary Education Longitudinal Study (PEELS). The system includes over 1,000 variables related to child and family characteristics; special education programs and services; and academic, social and functional performance for preschoolers with disabilities.

New from MDRC, this report presents findings on the effectiveness of two professional development strategies on improving the knowledge and practice of second-grade teachers in high-poverty schools and on the reading achievement of their students.

Dropout rates are rising and too many young people are finishing high school without the skills they need for college, work and life. In 2009, Congress will reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, commonly known as No Child Left Behind. Here's how the National Collaboration for Youth hopes to see it done -- add improvements to make education more relevant to young people, to better prepare them for success.

I had a few hours to read, so I pulled out the folder into which I cram all of the things that catch my eye and might make good material for a column. Here’s what I read recently:

According to the Council of the Great City Schools' annual Beating the Odds report, fourth and eighth graders are doing better in reading and math, both on state standardized tests and the National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP). The report compared test scores from 2002 through 2005 in 66 urban districts. While urban school achievement remains below national averages in math, the percentage of fourth and eighth graders in these schools who scored at or above proficient levels has risen each year since 2002. Reading achievement is also improving in urban schools, particularly among fourth graders: 54.4 percent of urban fourth graders scored at or above proficient level in reading, up more than 11 percentage points from 2002. In addition, race-based achievement gaps appear to be narrowing in reading and math.

Kidango inspires all children and their families by promoting their potential and diversity through quality education and nurturing relationships.

The philosophy of Kidango is based on the belief that each child deserves an opportunity for total development. Each child comes to the program with certain strengths that should be expanded upon and reinforced. These strengths are based on the learning and teaching styles of their home, which are influenced by the structure and cultural background of the child's family. Those responsible for the program are challenged to create a multi-lingual, cross cultural environment, which will foster the physical, mental, emotional, and social development of all children

The mission of the National Association of Elementary School Principals is to lead in the advocacy and support for elementary and middle level principals and other education leaders in their commitment to all children.