Our blog

Kindergarten entry assessments, which some states call “kindergarten readiness assessments” or “kindergarten entry inventories,” are intended to guide a teacher’s instructional practice. They may include direct assessment of children’s skills, teacher observations, or both. They’re intended to give teachers a well-rounded picture of the whole child, including his or her academic, social, and physical development. […]

I was recently on an airplane watching a Dad traveling with his baby daughter, who was probably just about a year old. The plane we were on was having mechanical difficulty that caused it to remain on the tarmac for nearly an hour before take-off, no short amount of time for such a young child. […]

Professor Heckman’s latest research, An Analysis of the Memphis Nurse-Family Partnership Program (NFP), puts a widely-known voluntary home visiting program through its most rigorous analysis to date and finds important short- and long-term impacts for mothers and their children. This study evaluates a randomized controlled trial of the NFP program conducted in Memphis, Tennessee in […]

Amanda Williford, a research associate professor at the University of Virginia’s Curry School of Education, is leading the way in helping Virginia roll out the Kindergarten Readiness Program, a readiness assessment for incoming kindergartners. The Virginia Kindergarten Readiness Program (VKRP) expands the assessment of children kindergarten beyond literacy (PALS), to include the school readiness domains of […]

Too Small to Fail recently released a white paper on the importance of cultivating a child’s social-emotional development from birth. Too Small to Fail defines social-emotional development as a combination of the relationships we share with others, emotional awareness, and the ability to recognize, understand, express, and respond to feelings in socially appropriate ways. Social-emotional development […]

The VKRP, based at The University of Virginia expands the assessment of children entering kindergarten beyond literacy (PALS), to include school readiness domains of math, social skills and self-regulation. This data provides school divisions with a more comprehensive understanding of how kindergarten students are entering elementary schools (at the fourth to sixth week of school) […]

Have you heard about the Stanford University marshmallow study? Many years ago, children between the ages of three and five were offered a marshmallow and told if they did not eat it, they’d be given another one. Those children who took the marshmallow and could not delay gratification had a higher rate of behavioral problems […]

March Madness is over (thank goodness)! What a game last night!! North Carolina beat Gonzaga 71-65. It was a nail-biter for anyone who watched. As a die-hard Tar Heel fan, this game was tough to watch especially after Villanova’s buzzer beater win last year over the Heels. Marcus Paige said it best last night in […]

Reading is foundational to many jobs in today’s economy, and it will be increasingly critical for the jobs that sustain our economic growth. According to an analysis by economists at Georgetown University, reading comprehension ranks third in “high intensity” use of broad skills across all occupations. A 2016 study found that workers had to be […]

A report recently released by The Center for American Progress, “Child Care Deserts: An Analysis of Child Care Centers by ZIP Code in 8 States,” examines the location of child care centers and reveals that 42% of children under age 5 live in child care deserts. Eight states responded to the request to share administrative […]

The 2015 Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) study finds American students underperforming their peers in several Asian nations. The U.S. was below the international average in math and about average in science and reading. “We’re losing ground — a troubling prospect when, in today’s knowledge-based economy, the best jobs can go anywhere in the world,” said […]

Governor Terry McAuliffe announced this week that Virginia will receive $17.5 million through the federal Preschool Expansion Grant. These funds will allow the Commonwealth to continue to serve at-risk four-year-olds in high-quality pre-kindergarten programs across the state. “Providing our children with high-quality preschool education is essential to giving every Virginia student the start he or she […]

The Trends in Maths and Science Study (TIMSS) released yesterday provides data on mathematics and science achievement of U.S. students compared to that of students in other countries. The most recent TIMSS data collection was in 2015 and included students in grades 4 and 8. In TIMSS 2015, more than 60 countries and other education systems, […]

The University of Virginia’s Curry School of Education is focusing on four major efforts to improve early education: 1.    Creating a First-of-Its-Kind Preschool 2.    Assessing Kindergarten Readiness Statewide 3.    Building Strategies for Early Childhood Reform Statewide in Louisiana 4.    Assessing Interactions in Kyrgyzstan’s Early Education Classrooms The US Secretary of Education, John B. King Jr., […]

Virginia’s Plan for Well-Being is a call to action for Virginians to create and sustain conditions that support health and well-being. The plan lays out 13 priority goals that address issues significantly impacting the health and well-being of the people of Virginia. Read more about the plan and how early education plays a role here.