1. Quality Matters in Early Learning
Gauging Progress
Joan M. Lord
Vice President
Education Data, Policy Research
and Programs
Little Rock, Arkansas
June 26, 2016
Leading the nation in pre-K program access and quality

2. Good early learning programs depend on:
High-quality programming
Aligned curriculum from pre-K through third grade
Strong, specialized professional training and continuing professional development
Strong state leadership

3. Access to publically funded pre-K
Percentage of 4-year-olds in the nation, 2015
Special Education
Head Start 3%
State
pre-K
Other or none
Source: National Institute for Early Education Research

4. Access to publically funded pre-K
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Gauging Progress
Access to publically funded pre-K
Percentage of 4-year-olds in a typical SREB state, 2015
Special Education
Head Start
State
pre-K
Other or none
Source: National Institute for Early Education Research

5. Access to state-funded pre-K
Most of the states that serve more than half of 4-year-olds in state-funded pre-K programs are in the SREB region. MD DE
31% to 49%
16% to 30%
15% or less
50% or more
Source: National Institute for Early Education Research

6. Quality of state-funded pre-K
Program quality standards in the SREB region, 2015 MD DE
Met 7-9
Met 4-6
Met 1-3
Met 10
Source: National Institute for Early Education Research

7. Quality of state-funded pre-K
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Gauging Progress
Quality of state-funded pre-K
Teacher quality standards in a typical SREB state, 2015
Teacher Quality Checklist
Standard
State Required
Lead teacher has bachelor’s degree
Lead teacher has specialized pre-K training 
Assistant teacher has the CDA Credential or equivalent
Teachers earn at least 15 hours/year of in-service professional development
Source: National Institute for Early Education Research

8. Quality of state-funded pre-K
Teacher quality standards in the SREB region, 2015 MD DE
Met 3
Met 2
Met 1
Met 4
Source: National Institute for Early Education Research

9. Benchmarking policy implementation in the SREB region
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Gauging Progress
P-3 Alignment
Benchmarking policy implementation in the SREB region
P-3 Alignment in SREB States
Policy Elements
State Status
Adopted statewide, comprehensive early learning standards 16
Aligned early learning standards to K-12 standards 15
Requires providers to offer full-day, state-funded pre-K 7
Requires school districts to offer full-day kindergarten 10
Requires early childhood learning and development assessment in kindergarten 13
Source: SREB analysis of state documents and NIEER

10. We are still growing in what we know about quality.
Accelerating Pace
We are still growing in what we know about quality.