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It will be the goal of this administration to ensure that every child has access to 

a complete and competitive education—from the day they are born to the day 

they begin a career ... because we know that the most formative learning comes 

in those first years of life.

President Barack Obama

Reauthorizing the Elementary and Secondary Education Act

Supporting Early Learning

Supporting Early Learning

The years prior to kindergarten are critical in shaping a child’s foundation for later school 

success. Research demonstrates that learning begins at birth and that high-quality early 

learning programs help children arrive in kindergarten ready to succeed in school and in 

life. The Department of Education is committed to an early learning agenda beginning at 

birth and continuing through third grade, with seamless transitions between preschool 

and elementary school. The Department’s proposal for reauthorizing the Elementary 

and Secondary Education Act supports a continuum of learning that will close the 

achievement gap and ensure that every student graduates from high school ready to 

succeed in college and a career.

Our proposal supports high-quality early learning 

approaches. 

▶ Continued Title I Support of Preschool. Districts may continue to use Title I 

funds to support high-quality preschool programs for eligible children, beginning 

at birth.
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▶ A Birth-Through-College-to-Career Agenda. Promise Neighborhood grants to 

high-need communities would provide a combination of effective community 

services, strong family supports, and comprehensive education reform to improve the 

educational and life outcomes for children from birth through college and to a career.

▶ Comprehensive Education Reforms. The Race to the Top program encourages states 

and districts to undertake ambitious, comprehensive reforms of their education 

systems that will dramatically improve student outcomes, including for young 

children.

▶ Encouragement for Innovation in Early Learning. The Investing in Innovation 

(i3) program supports promising and proven educational practices, including early 

learning programs that improve the outcomes for young children.

Our proposal supports early learning professionals.

▶ Joint Professional Development. Programs supporting professional development 

(including College- and Career-Ready Students and the Effective Teachers and 

Leaders programs) would include joint professional development activities for school 

staff and early childhood educators. The programs could address such issues as 

school readiness across all the major domains of early learning and the transition to 

elementary school.
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▶ Expanded Administrators’ Knowledge of Early Learning. The Effective Teachers 

and Leaders program would support activities that expand the knowledge of 

elementary school principals about appropriate and effective instructional strategies, 

interventions, and programs for young children.

▶ Support for Teachers of Young Children. Our proposal recognizes the importance 

of a great teacher in every classroom by promoting successful and innovative 

pathways into teaching and bold approaches to recruiting, developing, retaining, 

and rewarding effective teachers in high-need schools, including teachers of young 

children.

Our proposal expands learning opportunities for 

young children.

▶ Seamless Transitions and Improved Coordination. To provide a continuity of 

services, we must improve coordination between our public schools and early 

learning programs (including community-based programs such as Head Start) and 

services (supported through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) for 

young children. Our proposal would continue to require districts to coordinate with 

early learning programs and services to improve school readiness and would allow 

them to use Title I funds to do so.

▶ Strengthened Literacy and STEM P–12 Plans. The proposal supports state efforts 

to develop and strengthen evidence-based comprehensive pre-kindergarten through 

grade 12 literacy and science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) 

plans.

▶ Increased Learning Time for Young Children. High-quality in-school and out-ofschool strategies that provide young children and, where appropriate, teachers and 

family members, with additional learning time and resources would support success. 

These options include expanding the school day or year, providing full-service 

community schools, or offering services before school, after school, or during the 

summer.

▶ Comprehensive Early Learning Assessment Systems. Support for states and 

districts to develop and implement developmentally appropriate comprehensive early 

learning assessment systems would ensure programs are moving toward continuous 

improvement and preparing children to be successful in school and in life.

This publication is in the public domain and may be reproduced in whole or in part. It comprises 

proposals from A Blueprint for Reform: The Reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary 

Education Act, U.S. Department of Education, March 2010. To read the full text, visit www2.

ed.gov/policy/elsec/leg/blueprint. For more information, go to www.ed.gov or call 1-800-USALEARN.

May 2010
 The Department of Education’s mission is to promote student 

achievement and preparation for global competitiveness by fostering 

educational excellence and ensuring equal access.

www.ed.gov