Summary

The current educational policy debate in the United States is centered largely on the educational achievement gap that persists between low-income and minority students, on the one hand, and higher- income and non-minority students, on the other. Present school reform efforts that seek to address this problem assume that establishing high curriculum standards, test-based accountability, and higher-quality teaching in K-12 education can close this gap. Many researchers and experienced educators question that such reforms alone can close or significantly narrow the achievement gap. The achievement gap has deep roots that begin before school entry. Studies show that the foundation for literacy and other academic learning is laid down before age 5. Other studies demonstrate that high-quality preschool education can improve the school readiness and school performance of children, especially low-income children. Growing evidence shows that preschool education benefits children who are not poor, although the effects may not be as pronounced as they are for economically disadvantaged children. Accordingly, more and more states are establishing universal, state-funded pre-kindergarten educational programs for 3- and 4-year olds