Report

Practice brief

Case study

Fostering Pre-K to Elementary Alignment and Continuity in Mathematics in Urban School Districts

Challenges and Possibilities

Authors

Cynthia Coburn

Northwestern University

Elizabeth Zeiger Friedmann

University of California, Davis

Kelly McMahon

Columbia University

Graciela Borsato

Stanford University

Abigail Stein

Carnegie Mellon University

Natalie Jou

Northwestern University

Seenae Chong

University of San Francisco

Rebekah LeMahieu

Colorado State University

Megan Loef Franke

University of California, Los Angeles

Sonia Ibarra

University of California, Los Angeles

Deborah Stipek

Stanford University

Published

November 2018

Summary

In recent years, California has invested in improving early childhood education programs. Research shows the importance of high-quality early childhood education, but the disconnect from K–12 education threatens its long-term benefits. If the early grades do not build on the gains made in preschool, they likely will be lost. This brief, based on a longer technical report , describes the challenges facing pre-K–3 alignment and offers promising practices and policy recommendations.

Suggested citation
Coburn, C., Friedmann, E., McMahon, K., Borsato, G., Stein, A., Jou, N., Chong, S., LeMahieu, R., Franke, M. L., Ibarra, S., & Stipek, D. (2018, November). Fostering pre-K to elementary alignment and continuity in mathematics in urban school districts: Challenges and possibilities [Practice brief]. Policy Analysis for California Education. https://edpolicyinca.org/publications/fostering-pre-k-elementary-alignment