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In 1947, Jackie Robinson put on the Brooklyn Dodgers uniform to play Major League Baseball(MLB). He was the first African-American to play in the MLB. He faced the hate from the public and his own teammates. His uniform number was 42. Both of my boys love to play and watch sports and baseball. When the […]

Dear Advocates: We need your voice to be heard today. Governor Northam and his administration are making final decisions soon on how to allocate Virginia’s $67m in federal discretionary education funding.  Early education cannot be left out and must receive its fair share.  Anything less than a significant portion of this funding is simply unacceptable. […]

[su_row][su_column size=”1/3″ center=”no” class=””][/su_column] [su_column size=”1/3″ center=”no” class=””][/su_column] [su_column size=”1/3″ center=”no” class=””][/su_column][/su_row] Last year saw increases in states’ spending on early education, increased enrollment and levels of quality, according to NIEER’s annual State of Preschool Yearbook  which ranked states in three categories – access to state preschool, average spending per child and whether programs meet a […]

For more than a decade, researchers at the University of Virginia’s Curry School of Education and Human Development have been developing, testing and disseminating a set of practices called “Banking Time” that builds positive relationships between teachers and their students. Amanda Williford, an associate professor and a member of that team, believes these practices can […]

Dear Advocates: Virginia will receive approximately $67m in education relief as part of the CARES Act, the economic stimulus package passed by Congress and signed by the president.  The discretionary funding which comes from the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief (GEER) Fund is available to use immediately.  Governors decide how funds will be used and can […]

We are challenging our classrooms & families @ home to build their best Lego creation. It can be anything you want to build!!! Send us photos or videos of your best Lego creation on Friday, April 24th by 12 noon. The creation with the most “Likes” is the winner. Prizes will be awarded for the […]

You can… Build a tower as tall as YOU are, create a house for a mouse, or use Legos, blocks, boxes and other things around your house to create a building or bridge. Go outside and take a nature scavenger hunt walk.   Make a list and find as many things as you can.  Here […]

The conversations, social media and constant chatter by the news media may worry our children. It is important that we are careful about what we say around them. They will start to worry about the health and safety of their mother, father, grandparents, teachers, friends and other special people in their lives. What can we […]

In 2002, business, civic and philanthropic leaders recognized a problem that they wanted to fix. Many of our region’s children were entering kindergarten not ready. The Hampton Roads Community Foundation created Smart Beginnings South Hampton Roads, a nonprofit that was tasked with raising awareness, advocating for public-private investment and improving the quality of programs. We […]

Dear Friends, Thank you for your unwavering support! It is because of you and your calls, letters and visits that the House of Delegates and the Virginia Senate have passed their respective budgets and both include funding for Governor Northam’s early education package. We are grateful that our policymakers are making young children a priority. […]

Dear Friend, Thanks to your support: HB 1012 (Bulova) and SB 578 (Howell) have passed their respective chambers by overwhelming margins. Your voice has made a difference! Now, the fight continues as we turn our attention to funding the comprehensive package for Virginia’s children. Click Here to Act Now: Tell your legislator to support the […]

What is VKRP? The Virginia Kindergarten Readiness Program is a kindergarten readiness assessment that includes literacy, math, social skills and self-regulation. It provides the most comprehensive data our state has ever collected around school readiness, success, growth and gaps. The program uses a set of coordinated assessments that place equal and purposeful emphasis on measuring […]

 Text VAEARLYED to 52886 to get updates and act now! Dear Friend, We need your urgent support. Recently released 2019 data from the Virginia Kindergarten Readiness Program found that 44% of all children in Virginia are entering kindergarten not ready in one or more areas ofliteracy, math, social skills, or self-regulation. Act Now: Tell your […]

Dear Friends: On behalf of E3: Elevate Early Education, we are thrilled to launch, Early Education Matters, a campaign and nonpartisan coalition to advance our legislative priorities for the 2020 session and beyond. Early Education Matters Access. Equity. Quality. Impact. Governor Northam, the First Lady and state agency leaders spent much of the last year talking with […]

What Does Quality in Early Education Look Like? Lots of books for infants, toddlers and preschoolers. Creative, free form art materials and activities available in the classroom for children to explore. Play. Play. Children laughing, pretending, imagining and interacting with their friends & teachers. A daily routine & activities that engage children in science, technology, […]