High-quality early learning experiences are critical to a child’s development and long-term success. That’s why EdReports is embarking on an exciting new chapter: expanding our curriculum review process to include pre-K instructional materials. This decision reflects our deep commitment to ensuring that all students—beginning with our youngest learners—have access to the high-quality resources they need to thrive.
Here are three key reasons why EdReports is embarking on pre-K curriculum reviews:
1. Critical Brain Development Happens Before Kindergarten
Research demonstrates that the first five years of a child’s life are pivotal for brain development. Ninety percent of brain growth happens by age five, making these formative years crucial in setting the stage for future academic and life success.
The first five years of a child’s life are pivotal for brain development.
Despite this, there is a gap in the availability of high-quality, research-based pre-K curriculum. This can lead to missed opportunities for development, particularly in key areas such as early literacy, math, and science.
At EdReports, we’ve seen how transformative high-quality instructional materials can be for K–12 students. Now, we’re bringing that same commitment to pre-K classrooms, where the stakes are just as high.
2. Addressing Needs in Early Education
Across the U.S., 1.75 million children are enrolled in state-funded pre-K programs. With over $250 million spent annually on pre-K curriculum, the question is: Are all students accessing the high-quality materials they need?
Unfortunately, the answer is no. Many pre-K programs lack the resources or information to ensure all children receive the strong educational foundation they deserve.
Many pre-K programs lack the resources or information to ensure all children receive the strong educational foundation they deserve.
Further, curriculum quality is more than alignment to standards. High-quality instructional materials (HQIM) must be relevant and engaging for all learners. They should also be designed to support a variety of student needs including, for example, those of multilingual learners. This is just as true for pre-K programs as for K–12.
3. Empowering Educators with Trusted Reviews
Selecting the right curriculum is a significant challenge, especially when educators and district leaders have limited time and resources to make critical decisions.
Currently, there are no independent evaluations of pre-K instructional materials to support curriculum selection. That’s why EdReports’ expansion into pre-K is so important. By offering free, comprehensive, and unbiased reviews, we’ll give educators the trusted information they need to make informed choices.
By offering free, comprehensive, and unbiased reviews, we’ll give educators the trusted information they need to make informed choices.
What’s more, EdReports’ reviews and review process are “by educator, for educator,” ensuring that those closest to the classroom are shaping the tools we use to evaluate materials and the resulting reports.
Setting the Stage for Lifelong Success
At EdReports, we believe that every learner deserves access to high-quality instructional materials. Expanding our reviews to include pre-K will empower educators to choose the best resources for their students, leading to more equitable and effective early childhood education.
Together, we can ensure that every child begins their educational journey with the resources they need to succeed.
As we begin this journey, we are excited to create tools that will guide districts and schools in selecting the best pre-K curricula. To do so, we’re thrilled and honored to collaborate with educators, researchers, and experts, such as our pre-K Advisory members. Together, we can ensure that every child begins their educational journey with the resources they need to succeed.
