Population: Children and Schools

Preschool Children

In order to promote low-income children’s social and emotional development and behavioral and academic readiness for school, MDRC is looking at programs to enhance the quality of preschool settings through innovative teacher-training and evidence-based strategies.

The Latest

Report

Evaluation of the Jumpstart Foster Grandparent Program

This report evaluates an early education program aimed at providing high-quality language and literacy instruction to children in underserved communities. The report examines how services delivered by senior volunteers enhanced preschoolers’ experiences in the classroom and whether this program model shows promise for improving children’s literacy and social-emotional development.

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Full

Report

Selecting an Instrument for Measuring Infant and Toddler Language and Preliteracy

This research report evaluates tools for assessing skills that are important predictors of the reading gap that may emerge in later years. It reviews the measures on a set of logistical and psychometric criteria relevant for three purposes: identifying delays; measuring individual differences and change; and informing teaching and learning.

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Key Documents

Brief

Delivering on the Promise of Preschool: Investing in Social and Emotional Development and Early Math Skills

How do we make the most of the promise of preschool, particularly as preschool programs become universal? How do we avoid the “fade out” of early positive effects as children transition to elementary school? Part of our “Looking Forward” series, this policy memo describes how enhancing children’s social and emotional development and their early math skills may be part of the answer.

Seeking Answers to Big Questions

MDRC’s Portfolio in Early Childhood Education

Today, leaders from across the political spectrum are calling for new investments in early childhood education. But many important questions remain about how to make the most of the promise of preschool and related interventions. MDRC’s portfolio of research and demonstration projects is tackling some of the biggest ones.

Three Approaches to Preschoolers’ Social and Emotional Competence

A Summary of Impact and Implementation Findings from Head Start CARES

This two-page issue focus summarizes the main findings from Head Start CARES, a test of three distinct classroom-based approaches to enhancing children’s social-emotional development: Incredible Years Teacher Training Program, Preschool PATHS (Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies), and Tools of the Mind–Play.

Jumpstart’s Foster Grandparent Program Evaluation Focus Area: Preschool Population: Children and Schools Intervention: School Readiness, Classroom Services Locations: California	Improving Engagement in Elementary School Selection Focus Area: Elementary and Middle School Population: Children and Schools Intervention: Behavioral Interventions Locations: New York	Get Ready Guilford Initiative Focus Area: Child Care and Early Education Two-Generation Programs Population: Families Children and Schools Low-Income Populations Intervention: School Readiness, Case Management, Coordinated Care/Care Management, Home Visiting Locations: North Carolina
What Matters Most for Teachers and Young Children Focus Area: Preschool Population: Children and Schools Intervention: School Readiness, Professional Development/ Teacher Training, Classroom Services Locations: New York	The Expanding Children’s Early Learning (ExCEL) Network Focus Area: Preschool Elementary and Middle School Child Care and Early Education Population: Children and Schools Intervention: School Readiness, Professional Development/ Teacher Training, Classroom Services, Curricular/Instructional Reforms Locations: Massachusetts	The High 5s Project Focus Area: Preschool Elementary and Middle School Child Care and Early Education Population: Children and Schools Intervention: School Readiness, Professional Development/ Teacher Training, Classroom Services, Curricular/Instructional Reforms
Estimating Power for Multiple Hypothesis Tests Focus Area: Preschool Elementary and Middle School High School Population: Children and Schools	Making Pre-K Count Focus Area: Preschool Child Care and Early Education Population: Children and Schools Families Intervention: School Readiness, Professional Development/ Teacher Training, Classroom Services Locations: New York	Head Start CARES Project Focus Area: Preschool Child Care and Early Education Two-Generation Programs Population: Children and Schools Families Intervention: School Readiness, Professional Development/ Teacher Training, Classroom Services, Curricular/Instructional Reforms Locations: California, Colorado, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas

MDRC

Population: Children and Schools

Preschool Children

Evaluation of the Jumpstart Foster Grandparent Program

Selecting an Instrument for Measuring Infant and Toddler Language and Preliteracy

Delivering on the Promise of Preschool: Investing in Social and Emotional Development and Early Math Skills

Seeking Answers to Big Questions

Three Approaches to Preschoolers’ Social and Emotional Competence

Jumpstart’s Foster Grandparent Program Evaluation

Improving Engagement in Elementary School Selection

Get Ready Guilford Initiative

What Matters Most for Teachers and Young Children

The Expanding Children’s Early Learning (ExCEL) Network

The High 5s Project

Estimating Power for Multiple Hypothesis Tests

Making Pre-K Count

Head Start CARES Project

Childhood Asthma Scan

Evaluation of Child Care Subsidy Strategies

Foundations of Learning Project

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Preschool Children

Current Projects

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