School Readiness

Early Childhood Education: Building Essential Skills for Success

Thu, 17 Sep 2026 18:00:00 GMT

Join this free virtual event to examine the biggest challenges in supporting young children, from preschool through elementary school.

Does Pre-K Give Kids a Lasting Edge? Here's What the Latest Study Says

Thu, 20 Aug 2026 20:36:46 GMT

Several researchers have studied the effects of pre-K on future academic success, with mixed results.

Why Boys Start Kindergarten Behind Girls

Fri, 31 Jul 2026 19:57:40 GMT

Kindergarten readiness data tell us that gender gaps start as soon as school does.

Too Young to Test? How Teachers Feel About Early Childhood Assessments

Tue, 28 Jul 2026 21:31:16 GMT

A growing number of early elementary public school students are required to take assessments.

This State Has a New Kindergarten Assessment—No Computer, Pen or Paper Required

Fri, 24 Jul 2026 18:14:41 GMT

The assessment evaluates 16 items in four separate foundational skills categories.

What Teachers Really Want From Kindergartners Isn’t Academic

Thu, 25 Jun 2026 21:28:08 GMT

Reading readiness barely registers on teachers' wish list. Here's what counts.

Who’s Responsible for Toilet Training? Schools or Families?

Fri, 15 May 2026 20:48:38 GMT

Districts grapple with how to respond when students aren't toilet-trained.

Kids' Executive Function Skills Took a Hit During COVID. What Can Schools Do?

Mon, 04 May 2026 21:53:18 GMT

Children are struggling to master skills related to memory, attention, and self-control.

Teachers Blame Parents for Young Learners' Deficits. But There's a Bigger Story

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 20:35:48 GMT

Teachers and parents are experiencing similar levels of stress caring for and educating kids.

'Addicted to Screens': Teachers Sound the Alarm on Their Youngest Students

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 19:35:13 GMT

Too many students are entering school unprepared to learn, according to a national survey of early educators.

Has the Practice of Redshirting Kindergartners Peaked?

Wed, 01 Apr 2026 12:45:33 GMT

Holding kids back from kindergarten may be less popular than expected. Here's why.

Toileting and Tying Shoes: Young Students Increasingly Lack Basic Skills

Fri, 13 Mar 2026 19:05:56 GMT

National survey finds more students struggle with basic foundational skills.

Assessing Kindergarten Readiness—During Routine Pediatric Checkups

Fri, 06 Mar 2026 21:27:22 GMT

An Ohio pediatric hospital's clinics assess preschoolers' literacy readiness during routine visits.

Kids Are Entering Preschool More Comfortable With Screens Than Books. What Now?

Wed, 18 Feb 2026 21:49:52 GMT

Screen time is rising among the youngest students. Experts explain its effect on literacy skills.

How Old Should a Kindergartner Be? Parents and Districts Clash Over Cutoff Dates

Fri, 12 Sep 2025 19:54:51 GMT

As some districts and states strictly enforce kindergarten cutoff dates, parents feel the squeeze.

Is More Playtime the Antidote to Kindergartners’ Behavior Problems?

Fri, 22 Aug 2025 20:25:30 GMT

Kindergartners are struggling with self-control—a key indicator of kindergarten readiness. Is more unstructured play a solution?

How a State's Transitional Kindergarten Expansion Has Gone So Far

Fri, 01 Aug 2025 20:58:28 GMT

California is gearing up to help more 4-year-olds get ready for kindergarten.

‘Crying, Yelling, Shutting Down’: There’s a Surge in Kindergarten Tantrums. Why?

Fri, 25 Jul 2025 20:36:07 GMT

Educators are reporting a surge in the number of kindergartners coming to school unable to regulate their emotions. What's going on?

How Kindergarten 'Redshirting' Is Changing

Wed, 23 Oct 2024 17:27:29 GMT

Redshirting was once largely a choice made by higher-income parents of white boys.

Why Parents 'Redshirt' Their Kids in Kindergarten

Wed, 26 Jul 2023 19:07:34 GMT

Parents have a number of reasons why they decide to delay their children's school entry, but it's not always a good idea.

Young Children Were Massively Overlooked for Special Education. How Will Schools Respond?

Mon, 17 Oct 2022 04:01:14 GMT

Forty percent fewer preschoolers received special education services during the pandemic. Schools deal with the fallout.

How the Science of Reading Elevates Our Early Learners to Success

Tue, 20 Sep 2022 16:21:50 GMT

From the creators of ABCmouse, learn how a solution grounded in the science of reading can prepare our youngest learners for kindergarten.

Preschool Enrollment Has Plunged: What That Means for School Readiness

Mon, 25 Oct 2021 21:56:36 GMT

Census data confirm that more than a million young children missed preschool during the pandemic, putting school readiness at risk.

Waterford Upstart on Providing Remote Learning to 90,000 Pre-K Kids (Opinion)

Thu, 25 Mar 2021 10:00:59 GMT

Rick Hess speaks with Dr. LaTasha Hadley of Waterford Upstart about its use of adaptive software to close gaps in kindergarten readiness.

Will Kindergartens Be Empty This Fall?

Wed, 08 Jul 2020 01:26:32 GMT

As cases of COVID-19 continue to grow, parents around the country are struggling with whether to send their child to kindergarten this fall. Some say they won't.

Incoming Kindergartners Are Less Ready Than a Decade Ago

Tue, 08 Oct 2019 23:48:36 GMT

Incoming kindergartners in 2017 started school with lower early-math and -reading skills than their peers nearly a decade earlier, though some achievement gaps closed somewhat.

Academic Redshirting, and Why It’s Not So Simple

Tue, 27 Aug 2019 22:10:25 GMT

Academic redshirting has benefits and disadvantages on a child’s development that parents should keep in mind.

In These Laundromats, Adults Do the Wash, and Children Read (Video)

Wed, 03 Apr 2019 05:08:41 GMT

Librarians, early-literacy groups, and laundromat owners are combining forces to see if reaching out to families in places they frequent can help close the literacy gap between low- and higher-income students.

Should Children Be Ready for Kindergarten—Or Should Kindergarten Be Ready for Children? (Opinion)

Tue, 26 Mar 2019 00:20:44 GMT

Kindergarten readiness is highly subjective, but the concept has real consequences, writes Stanford University’s Deborah Stipek.