AR Allies Set the Stage for Next Year's Pre-K Push


Sen. Joyce Elliott (Arkansas Times)
If you haven't heard about the brave stand teachers are taking in St. Paul, MN, here's what's going on:
As the US recovers from the Great Recession, pre-k and early learning have moved into the national spotlight. Advocates, organizers and policymakers alike recognize the overwhelming benefits of early care and learning programs in boosting student achievement and closing achievement gaps.
Public schools are the heart of every community, a place where the next generation of doctors, engineers, writers and artists learn and grow. They are where parents, teachers and community members come together to support their children and invest in their futures.
On December 9, 2013, parents, students, teachers and community members from over 60 cities across the country participated in the National Day of Action to Reclaim the Promise of Public Education.
On December 9, parents, students, teachers and community members from over 60 cities across the country participated in the National Day of Action to Reclaim the Promise of Public Education. This is what happens when an education movement unites:
The end of third grade marks an important transition when young students move from "learning to read" to "reading to learn." However, 66 percent of all fouth-graders, and 80 percent of fourth-graders from low-income families, are not reading at grade level.
A report from the Annie E. Casey Foundation's Kids Count project shows the statistics for fourth-grade reading proficiency by race, family income, English learner status, disability and school poverty rate.
The end of third grade marks an important transition when young students move from "learning to read" to "reading to learn." However, 66 percent of all fouth-graders, and 80 percent of fourth-graders from low-income families, are not reading at grade level.
The Arkansas OTL Campaign held a press conference in December as part of the National Day of Action to Reclaim the Promise of Public Education. Advocates and organizers spoke at the state capitol about the improvement Arkansas schools have made over the past decade and what work there is left to do to ensure every student has access to a quality education.
Warren Simmons, Executive Director of the Annenberg Institute for School Reform, has some advice for Boston's Mayor-Elect Marty Walsh: to improve the city's schools and ensure every student has a great education, he should focus on equity and providing access to a robust web of wraparound student supports.