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Preschool Children

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Early education helps prepare preschoolers for kindergarten — developmentally, academically, and socially — and also is associated with lasting positive outcomes. RAND research related to preschool children includes studies on early childhood development, effective preschool programs, child care quality, and the costs and benefits of investing in preschool education.

Commentary

Biden's Child Tax Credit Will Bring Lifetime of Improvement

Apr 28, 2021

The American Rescue Plan is expected to cut child poverty in the United States by more than 40 percent. The benefits are important to families today and could be compounded over the hundred years these children are expected to live.
Multimedia

From Day One: The Importance of Early Learning

Feb 24, 2021

RAND researchers Rita Karam and Gail Zellman discuss the importance of early childhood learning. This video features interviews with families and educators in the Middle East who have experienced the positive effects of engaging children in conversations and educational activities at home and in early childhood programs.

Explore Preschool Children

Journal Article

Understanding Variation in Classroom Quality Within Early Childhood Centers: Evidence from Colorado's Quality Rating and Improvement System

This study examines variability in quality across classrooms within early childhood centers and its implications for how quality rating systems (QRSs) capture center-level quality.

Jan 1, 2013
Blog

Bernanke Knows a Good Investment When He Sees One

Chairman of the U.S. Federal Reserve System Ben S. Bernanke cited RAND studies that have documented the importance of investing early in children's learning. He made the case that early education programs, especially those serving disadvantaged children, are one of the best investments that society can make in its future.

Aug 2, 2012
Report

How Would Programs Rate Under California’s Proposed Quality Rating and Improvement System?

In 2010, the California Early Learning Quality Improvement System Advisory Committee recommended a structure for a voluntary quality rating and improvement system (QRIS) that could apply to the state's licensed centers and licensed family child care homes. Researchers examined fundamentals of the proposed QRIS rating scheme that could inform California's QRIS design.

May 1, 2012
Report

Incorporating Child Assessments into State Early Childhood Quality Rating and Improvement Systems

Including child assessments in the design, implementation, and evaluation of quality rating and improvement systems or other quality improvement efforts could improve practice and raise care quality for early childhood education.

Feb 28, 2012
Report

The Use of Early Care and Education by California Families

Researchers describe child care and early learning arrangements for the approximately 2.8 million California children ages 0 to 5 who are younger than the age at which they would enter kindergarten.

Feb 28, 2012
Research Brief

How Child Assessments Can Help Early Childhood Quality Improvement Efforts

Researchers identify five strategies for incorporating child assessments into the design, implementation, and evaluation of initiatives designed to raise the quality of care in early care and education settings.

Feb 28, 2012
Report

Improving the Professional Development System for California's Early Child Education Workforce

California has taken steps to implement components of a comprehensive professional development system for its early child education workforce. However, further advances are needed and more information is required to identify possible inefficiencies in the current system.

Feb 28, 2012
Research Brief

Professional Development and California's Early Care and Education Workforce

As California seeks to improve the quality of early care and education programs and access to them, a key consideration is the effectiveness of the state's ECE workforce professional development system.

Feb 28, 2012
Testimony

Building Blocks for a Strong Preschool to Early Elementary Education System

The earliest years of a child's life are critical to physical, socio-emotional, behavioral, and cognitive development. High quality early education can improve readiness and success in school, particularly for disadvantaged children, but access to such programs is uneven.

Feb 16, 2012
Journal Article

Accounting for Movement Between Childcare Classrooms: Does It Change Teacher Effects Interpretations?

Child care studies that have examined links between teachers' qualifications and children's outcomes often ignore teachers' and children's transitions between classrooms at a center throughout the day and only take into account head teacher qualifications.

Jan 1, 2012
Report

Identifying Arabic-Language Materials for Children That Promote Tolerance and Critical Thinking

A focus on children, whose ideas are still being developed, may be more effective in promoting tolerance and critical thinking in the Arabic–speaking world than efforts directed toward adults, whose attitudes are already established.

Mar 22, 2011
Report

Cost Study of the Saint Paul Early Childhood Scholarship Program

Minnesota's Saint Paul Early Childhood Scholarship Program provides scholarships to cover the cost of high-quality early childhood education programs. This report provides detailed cost and program data for 12 participating programs.

Mar 15, 2011
Research Brief

The Cost of Providing Quality Early Care and Education in Saint Paul, Minnesota

Shares results of a RAND analysis of programs participating in Minnesota's Saint Paul Early Childhood Scholarship Program, which provides scholarships to cover the cost of high-quality early childhood education programs.

Mar 15, 2011
Project

Exploring the Benefits of Early Childhood Education in California

The California Preschool Study sought to understand achievement gaps among the state's children, whether existing preschool education programs is adequate, and what efficiencies could be achieved through public funding of early childhood education.

Sep 24, 2010
Multimedia

Webinar: Promising Practices Related to Child Care Quality

In a Webinar held on December 9th 2009, child policy experts discussed the latest research related to child care quality and the implications of the findings for policy.

Jan 25, 2010
Dissertation

Child Care Choices of Hispanic Families: Why Aren't Families Using Center Care?

Explores why Hispanic children are enrolled in preschools and early childhood centers in lesser proportions than children of other races and ethnicities.

Jan 25, 2010
Journal Article

Endowments and Parental Investments in Infancy and Early Childhood

This article tests whether parents reinforce or compensate for child endowments.

Dec 31, 2009
Research Brief

Strategies for Advancing Preschool Adequacy and Efficiency in California

Improving California's publicly funded preschool system will require increasing access, especially for underserved groups; raising quality; advancing toward a more efficient and coordinated system; and providing appropriate infrastructure supports.

May 20, 2009
Research Brief

Promoting Effective Preschool Programs

RAND recommends that policymakers use federal funds to support state efforts to improve preschool quality and access for the most disadvantaged children. The related policy actions will help increase school readiness and close achievement gaps.

Mar 27, 2009
Journal Article

Meeting Family and Military Needs Through Military Child Care

This article summarizes results from a child care survey of military families conducted by the RAND Corporation in 2004 and draws policy implications for the military child care system.

Jan 1, 2009

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