Pre-K & Early Childhood

  • A young student is seated at a table holding an empty pitcher and looking up at a person who is standing. Only the arms and upper body of the person standing is shown. Other young students are seated at the table.
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    John Moore via Getty Images
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    Head Start from 1965 to today

    We take a look back at the highs and lows of the federal preschool program’s 60 years of serving young children from low-income families.

    By • May 16, 2025
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    Retrieved from Thomas J. O'Halloran/Library of Congress.
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    Deep Dive

    Head Start turns 60: Alumni reflect on lifelong impact of early learning

    Three former students share how the preschool program benefited them, and how they’ve stayed connected to Head Start via careers in education.

    By • May 16, 2025
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    Photo illustration: Shaun Lucas/Industry Dive; Getty Images

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    POP QUIZ

    Test yourself on this week’s K-12 news

    From proposed K-12 budget cuts to a push for new high school graduation requirements, what did you learn from our recent stories?

    By • May 9, 2025
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    FatCamera via Getty Images
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    Pre-K teachers want to stay in jobs despite lower pay, longer hours

    About 18% of pre-K teachers surveyed said they intended to leave their jobs by the end of the 2023-24 school year, compared with 22% of K-12 teachers.

    By • May 7, 2025
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    Pekic via Getty Images
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    IDEA services for infants, toddlers brace for budget impacts

    The Part C early intervention program is stable for now, but advocates and researchers are worried about potential cuts to Medicaid and appropriations.

    By • April 28, 2025
  • A toddler is sitting on a carpet on the floor in a room playing with blocks and smiling. Other little kids are seen in the background.
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    FatCamera via Getty Images
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    Head Start zeroed out in Trump’s preliminary budget plan

    While some conservatives have called the early education program ineffective, supporters point to academic, social and economic benefits.

    By • April 17, 2025
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    Photo illustration: Shaun Lucas/Industry Dive; Getty Images

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    POP QUIZ

    Test yourself on this week’s K-12 news

    From schools’ latest financial risks to the shuttering of some regional Offices of Head Start, what did you learn from our recent stories?

    By • April 11, 2025
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    mapo via Getty Images
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    Tell us about your school district’s rising leaders

    We want to hear about the leaders driving innovation in your schools for our fifth annual spotlight on assistant principals and district administrators.

    By • April 7, 2025
  • An adult is sitting on a floor with two toddlers who are sitting on the floor. The adult is guiding one of the child's hands while the other child plays with blocks on the floor.
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    FatCamera via Getty Images
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    Head Start imperiled by HHS cutbacks, advocates say

    The agency's overhaul has sparked concerns about access, affordability and safety for the program serving preschoolers from low-income families.

    By • April 4, 2025
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    Photo illustration: Shaun Lucas/Industry Dive; Getty Images

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    POP QUIZ

    Test yourself on this week’s K-12 news

    From Trump’s latest executive order impacting K-12 to a rise in student homelessness, what did you learn from our recent stories?

    By • Feb. 7, 2025
  • Young child looks out of window from a yellow school bus, which has the words Head Start printed on the side.
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    Mario Villafuerte via Getty Images
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    Some Head Start programs face ‘unnecessary delays’ in access to federal grants

    The slowdown is impacting 20,000 children and families as programs have to shutter or scramble for funds.

    By • Feb. 6, 2025
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    monkeybusinessimages via Getty Images
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    The K-12 outlook for 2025: Shifting policy, tech landscapes bring new challenges

    We’ve gathered our trends to watch over the coming year in one place to help you stay ahead of the game.

    By • Jan. 31, 2025
  • An adult sits on a carpeted floor in a classroom. They are surrounded by young children who are looking at a large picture book in the adult's lap.
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    Permission granted by San Gabriel Unified School District
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    California district-college partnerships tackle teacher shortage for transitional kindergarten

    A state law requiring all districts to provide the bridge year means that more educators are needed to staff these classrooms.

    By • Jan. 2, 2025
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    Photo illustration: Shaun Lucas/Industry Dive; Getty Images

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    POP QUIZ

    Test yourself on this week’s K-12 news

    From new math performance data to the 20th anniversary of a federal law’s last reauthorization, what did you learn from our recent stories?

    By • Dec. 6, 2024
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    Photo illustration: Shaun Lucas/Industry Dive; Getty Images

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    Dive Awards

    The K-12 Dive Awards for 2024

    These leaders are achieving excellence through commitments to school culture and community, innovation, and wraparound services for students.

    By • Nov. 27, 2024
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    Photo illustration: Shaun Lucas/Industry Dive; Getty Images

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    POP QUIZ

    Test yourself on this week’s K-12 news

    From demand for a cybersecurity pilot to the latest stats on school book bans, what did you learn from our recent stories?

    By • Nov. 15, 2024
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    Milena Khosroshvili via Getty Images
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    Keys to teaching data literacy in elementary school

    Tracking the weather and tapping into a child’s natural curiosity are ways to build young learners' understanding of data, math instruction experts say.

    By Lauren Barack • Oct. 23, 2024
  • Two young students sit at a desk in a classroom. They are working with colorful blocks and sticks on the desk.
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    FatCamera via Getty Images
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    Teachers: Kindergarten readiness tests are time-consuming, cut into instruction

    The assessment data, however, is used to assign learning groups and track student progress, teachers told the U.S. Government Accountability Office.

    By • Oct. 18, 2024
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    Photo illustration: Shaun Lucas/Industry Dive; Getty Images

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    POP QUIZ

    Test yourself on this week’s K-12 news

    From a potential major school food service acquisition to an executive order impacting schools, what did you learn from our recent stories?

    By • Oct. 4, 2024
  • A small child is laying on their stomach on green grass outside. They are looking at a yellow dandelion through a magnifying glass.
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    KeremYucel via Getty Images
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    Are preschoolers getting enough outdoor time?

    A NIEER policy brief shows most state preschool programs don’t require outdoor time, but some have model programs to expose children to nature.

    By • Oct. 2, 2024
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    vm via Getty Images
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    The top K-12 conferences to attend in 2025

    Major issues on the agenda include school leadership best practices, ed tech innovations, cybersecurity, the always-changing policy landscape and more.

    By K-12 Dive staff • Updated Jan. 30, 2025
  • Teacher Helping a Student
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    FatCamera via Getty Images
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    Sponsored by Pearson

    Navigating learning differences: Dyslexia, dysgraphia and dyscalculia

    By being aware of the red flags and providing accommodations and referrals to support services, educators can help students with dysgraphia and dyscalculia overcome challenges and reach their full potential.

    Sept. 30, 2024
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    Nimito via Getty Images
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    Opinion

    The untapped strategy that can radically improve student outcomes

    Partnerships that bridge the gap between early childhood and elementary school are enhancing the benefits of pre-K, writes Education Development Center’s David Jacobson.

    By David Jacobson • Sept. 26, 2024
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    Photo illustration: Shaun Lucas/Industry Dive; Getty Images

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    POP QUIZ

    Test yourself on this week’s K-12 news

    From high school sports participation to the latest on COVID-19 academic recovery, what did you learn from our recent stories?

    By • Sept. 20, 2024
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    Photo illustration: Industry Dive; Joe Readle/Getty Images; Brandon Bell/Getty Images

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    Tracker

    Where the 2024 presidential candidates stand on K-12 issues

    From Title IX to chronic absenteeism, we examined the candidates’ campaign websites, past statements, party platforms and more.

    By , , , • Sept. 11, 2024