Below are resources for early childhood professionals and those serving the early childhood community.

Research finds early childhood program linked to degree completion at age 35  Participating in an intensive early childhood education program from preschool to third grade is linked to higher educational attainment in mid-life, according to a new study by University of Minnesota researchers.

How States Fund Pre-K  The importance of quality pre-K programs is widely understood, but options for funding them are less clear. This new special report details the variety of revenue streams available at local, state and federal levels to fund pre-K, and includes state examples.

Kindergarten Readiness in Wisconsin  In this collaborative working paper, WCER researcher Eric Grodsky and colleagues show that in Wisconsin, about two-thirds of children of color begin kindergarten with weaker literacy skills than the typical non-Hispanic white child. Differences in family income account for half or more of the children with this literacy disadvantage.

Pre-to-3: It’s Legislative Season — Time to Take Another Look at Kindergarten Policies  With a large proportion of the nation’s children attending some form of early-childhood program, kindergarten for them is no longer the first year of formal schooling. (Education Dive)

Initiatives from Preschool to Third Grade  Initiatives from Preschool to the Third Grade: A Policymaker’s Guide serves as a reference guide for policymakers, members of the media and others on the most commonly requested topics to the ECS Information Clearinghouse on early learning.