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?

· Establish universal full-day kindergarten . Make full-day kindergarten (FDK) a voluntary, universal option as part of the public education system.

· Establish a comprehensive “ready schools” approach . Increase the number of school districts with a comprehensive “Ready Schools” approach.

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