The case study on BPS’ progression toward a stronger vision for connecting early childhood and the early grades comes as new research reinforces that consecutive years in high-quality classrooms contribute to more gains in early literacy skills and academic knowledge, especially for those who entered school with fewer skills. Published in the Early Childhood Research Quarterly, the study, focusing on a sample of almost 1,300 children in “low-wealth, rural” areas of North Carolina and Pennsylvania, suggests that greater attention to high-quality teaching in the early grades can help reduce the achievement gap.
