NEW REPORT: Early Education Matters: Connecting High-Quality Pre-K to K-3 Classrooms
For Immediate Release

May 20, 2021 – New Jersey leads the nation in the quality of and investments in pre-kindergarten, but the benefits of pre-K can disappear unless they are connected to equally high-quality K-3 years, according to a new report by New Jersey Policy Perspective (NJPP).

The report, Early Education Matters: Connecting High-Quality Pre-K to K-3 Classrooms, explores the need for high-quality early education in districts with high levels of poverty to provide children with opportunities later in life.

“New Jersey’s pre-K program is unmatched, but by itself it won’t do the job, especially in areas with concentrated poverty,” said Gordon MacInnes, report author and Senior Distinguished Fellow at New Jersey Policy Perspective (NJPP). “We can overcome that, and we already have in some districts, by focusing on the literacy of kids in K-3 classrooms.”

The report highlights the Union City school district as an example of connecting pre-K programming to sustained literacy efforts in the K-3 grades. By prioritizing reading and writing in K-3 classrooms, providing students with tutoring to address their unique educational needs, and promoting collaboration between teachers, students, and parents, Union City was able to improve student academic performance. In 2019, Union City students scored among the highest among ex-Abbott districts in both 3rd-grade language arts and 8th-grade language arts, despite more than 85 percent of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch.

The report concludes with recommendations for the state to further invest in early education, appoint a literacy specialist within the state Department of Education, and provide districts with individualized support to better promote literacy in K-3 classrooms.