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Improve K-3 Academic Success

The primary grades, kindergarten through third grade (K-3), encompass children’s entry into compulsory education [i] and are the crucial years when children shift from “learning to read” to “reading to learn.” [ii] Emerging research points policymakers toward more effective practices and policies to enhance K-3 learning opportunities and ensure that gains made from early childhood investments continue into K-12.

What Can Policymakers Do?

  • Reform teaching and learning . Establish, support, and sustain school reform efforts that address effective teaching and learning in K-3 classrooms.

[i] Education Commission of the States. (2008). Across the states, compulsory attendance age ranges from 5 to 8 years old. State statutes regarding kindergarten. Education Commission of the States, Originally compiled August 2001 (2008 update).
 [ii] Chall, J. S. (1996). Learning to read: The great debate. 3rd ed. Fort Worth, TX: Harcourt Brace College.

P-20 Reform Initiatives. State P-20 councils seek to develop a seamless system of education with aligned expectations from the earliest years of a child's development, through the K-12 system, and into and through postsecondary education. For more information on State P-20 Councils.

Resource. Lessons in Early Learning: Building an Integrated Pre-K-12 System in Montgomery County Public Schools. Report.