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Early Childhood Education
State education leaders are committed to investing in young learners. High-quality early education programs can improve outcomes, narrow achievement gaps and convey long-term benefits for children in school and life.
CCSSO's support to states is focused on creating conditions to facilitate developmentally appropriate, high-quality early learning experiences for young children. We carry out this work through CCSSO's Early Childhood Education Collaborative and the CCSSO Early Learning Networked Improvement Community.
Early Childhood Education Collaborative
Early Childhood Education Collaborative
Members of CCSSO’s Early Childhood Education (ECE) Collaborative work to expand and improve their state education agencies’ early education systems, elevate early learning among the strategic priorities of the state and ensure all children have equitable funding and access to high-quality learning opportunities and support services.
Through the ECE Collaborative, CCSSO supports state education leaders in assessing the state of academic recovery of young learners in PreK-grade 3 (P3) and identifying policies and practices to strengthen the early education workforce, P3 alignment, PreK expansion, critical issues of early education standards and high-quality instructional materials and professional learning. For more information, download CCSSO’s State Membership Brochure.
Early Learning Networked Improvement Community (NIC)
CCSSO’s Early Learning Networked Improvement Community (NIC) supports states in implementing evidence-based practices in early math and literacy in PreK–Grade 3.
State teams in Maryland, Nebraska, New Jersey and Vermont comprised of teachers, coaches, building administrators, district lead staff and administrators from the state education agencies work to improve the implementation and support structure for evidence-based, transformative classroom practices.
To support these teams, CCSSO partners with content experts in early literacy and math and experts in improving the conditions for systems change. One of the methods used is improvement science, a problem-solving approach centered on continuous inquiry and learning. Learn more about the Early Learning NIC here.