Building Sturdy Bridges: Prioritizing the Transitions to Kindergarten and First Grade
Each month, First 10 communities from across the U.S. come together to share best practices at First 10 Network Meetings. In September, we were joined by two special guests: Swati Adarkar, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Policy and Early Learning at the U.S. Department of Education (ED), and Ralph Smith, Managing Director at the Campaign for…
Practical Ideas for Deepening Family Partnerships
We at First 10 were excited to welcome Dr. Karen Mapp to our May network meeting. Dr. Mapp, a Senior Lecturer on Education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE) and Faculty Director of the Education Policy and Management Master’s Program, developed the widely-used Dual Capacity-Building Framework for Family-School Partnerships for the U.S. Department…
First 10 to Form New National Community of Practice
We are so excited about this opportunity to bring First 10 communities together for ongoing learning and exchange. We are beginning with communities in Alabama, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island and will add new ones as we grow. I am so impressed with the work these communities are doing improving outcomes for children…
Promoting Educational and Racial Equity through Cross-Sector Partnerships for Children and Families (Post #2)
The first post in this series described how the first 40 First 10 and transition to kindergarten communities are working to improve quality and alignment and address early childhood challenge #3 (i.e., local system-building). I also previewed some of the lessons this blog series will explore. In this second post, I show how First 10…
Taking Action for Children and Families: Learning from the First 40 Communities (Post #1)
“The ultimate goal of a stronger, more seamless care and education continuum is to initiate and sustain a strong foundation for future success by providing effective learning opportunities across the infant-toddler years, preschool ages, and early grades in all settings.” (National Research Council, Transforming the Workforce for Children Birth through Age 8: A Unifying Foundation).[1]…
Spotlight on Closing the Achievement Gap for Young Students: Social Justice, Virtual Learning, COVID, and Beyond
Was recently surprised and honored to be included in the Education Week Spotlight. See articles on COVID-related learning loss, advice from Nell Duke, the impact of phonics on math, our national racial reckoning, and First 10. Spotlight on Closing the Achievement Gap for Young Students
The Way Forward: Reinventing Early Childhood Education After COVID-19
COVID-19 has exposed a fundamental truth about our systems of education, health, and social services: They are fragmented and siloed, thwarting efforts to improve the quality of learning and care for children. Nowhere is this clearer than in the schools, preschools, and community programs that serve the 44% of U.S. children under 9 identified as…
Access to High-Quality Early Education and Racial Equity (NIEER)
Excerpt from a NIEER special report: “The death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police officers has focused the nation’s attention on the unequal treatment of Black Americans. Black children experience unequal treatment beginning at an early age, which contributes to inequalities in learning and development. By the time they enter kindergarten, Black…
Racial Inequity and the First 10 Years: 4 Resources
To start off what will be on ongoing discussion thread on first10.org, here are four resources on race and equity in the early childhood and elementary school years. Bias Isn’t Just A Police Problem, It’s A Preschool Problem (NPR) 4 Ways Racial Inequity Harms American Schoolchildren (NPR) Equity in Early Childhood Education (New America) A…
A Commitment to Racial Justice and Equity
First 10 begins with a commitment to educational and racial equity. The goal of First 10 is for all children to learn and thrive. This goal encompasses academic and social emotional learning and physical and mental health as priorities. Realizing this educational equity goal requires that communities ensure that all children have opportunities and supports…