The only organization dedicated solely to helping state boards advance equity and excellence in public education.

Early Childhood Education

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State Innovations

Michigan Adds Certificate for Birth to Kindergarten Teachers

A detail of how the Michigan State Board of Education, working closely with the state education agency, is expanding opportunities to improve early educators’ preparation.

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Education Leaders Reports

Start Strong: Supporting Early Childhood Education through Policy

State boards of education can leverage their existing authority to ensure that all early learners have access to a quality education. This report is a product of a workgroup NASBE convened on early childhood education.

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State Innovations

Michigan Narrows Licensure Bands to Improve Early Learning

Michigan jettisoned its broad elementary teaching licenses in favor of preK-3 and 3-6 licenses that will better equip new teachers with developmentally appropriate knowledge and skills.

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The Standard - Article

The Art of Early Childhood Education

Arts integration shows promise for school readiness, emotion regulation, and stress reduction in the youngest, most vulnerable students.

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The Standard - Article

State Boards and the Governance of Early Childhood Education

As states seek to bring coherence to the disparate systems that have a hand in early education and care, state boards have key roles to play.

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Press Release

NASBE’s Early Literacy Work Group Tours Arizona’s Wildflower Accelerated Academy

State board of education members from Delaware, the District of Columbia, California, Georgia, Guam, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nebraska, and New York gather in Arizona to learn about the state's early literacy initiatives.

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Press Release

California, North Carolina, and the District of Columbia Join NASBE’s Early Childhood Education Network

The National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE) welcomes three new state boards of education to the NASBE Early Childhood Education (ECE) State Network: California, the District of Columbia, and North Carolina.

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The Standard - Article

Preparing Pre-K Teachers: Policy Considerations and Strategies

Four practices to increase the pool of skilled early educators stand out as promising.

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Press Release

States Leverage Covid Relief Funds for Early Childhood Workforce Recovery

A new NASBE analysis outlines state investments in ECE workforce recovery through compensation and benefits, mental health and well-being supports, and professional development opportunities.

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Policy Update

Investing in Early Childhood Workforce Recovery

Analysis details how states, including Kentucky, New Jersey, North Carolina and others, are using COVID relief funds to help the early childhood workforce recover from the pandemic.

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event

Advancing the Early Literacy Workforce by Working with State Legislators

*NASBE Members-only Learning Session* Widening achievement gaps in reading underscore the urgent need for state leaders to work together to boost early literacy and support effective professional development for educators. Existing PD has been criticized for its lack of efficacy, disconnection from the science of reading, and absence of policy support. The policy landscape may […]

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Announcement

Join the NASBE Early Literacy Work Group

NASBE invites state board members and state board staff to join a work group to learn from national experts about early-literacy trends and research and from states that have employed effective policies and practices to increase young children’s reading success. Research demonstrates that students not reading proficiently by the end of third grade are four […]

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Announcement

NASBE Recruits Two States for ECE Network

The National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE) seeks applicants to join the NASBE Early Childhood Education (ECE) State Network as part of its efforts to support a well-qualified, equitable, well-compensated ECE workforce through effective state policies. NASBE welcomes state proposals that seek to develop or build on existing innovative strategies to mitigate the […]

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