Governing Early Learning among the American States
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
9-19-2022
Publication Title
Children and Youth Services Review
Issue
143
First page number:
1
Last page number:
8
Abstract
Researchers have posited that possible explanations that contribute to the variability in Pre-K program quality and subsequent mixed results in terms of student outcomes include, among others, an uncoordinated Pre-K delivery system and misalignment between the Pre-K and K-12 sectors. This study investigates one mechanism by which states attempt to resolve challenges resulting from mixed delivery and vertical misalignment: their governance structures, as identified by Kagan’s (2015) as one mechanism in the systems-focused model for the provision of high-quality early education. By collecting and analyzing documents from all 50 states, we describe how early learning is governed across the U.S. Finding variability, we organize state governance structures into a five-category taxonomy. We then analyze the mission statement, scope, and goals of each state’s early childhood council and find only a small subset address issues related to vertical alignment. The findings take on added significance as Congress debates the American Families Plan, the Biden Administration’s initiative that would partner with states to offer free, high-quality preschool to all of the nation’s three- and four-year-olds.
Keywords
Governance; Early Learning; Alignment; Early Childhood Education; Education Policy; American Families Plan
Disciplines
Early Childhood Education | Educational Leadership
Language
English
Rights
IN COPYRIGHT. For more information about this rights statement, please visit http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
Repository Citation
Griffard, M.,
Sadler, J.,
Little, M.,
Cohen-Vogel, L.
(2022).
Governing Early Learning among the American States.
Children and Youth Services Review(143),
1-8.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2022.106625