North Carolina Should Focus on Early Childhood Learning in Order to Raise Achievement in Predominantly Disadvantaged School Districts

To raise achievement in predominantly disadvantaged school districts, the Program Evaluation Division (PED) of the North Carolina General Assembly recommended focusing on early childhood learning, defined as the years birth through 3rd grade. The PED summarized their work: “predominantly disadvantaged districts that perform well [average or better on standardized state tests] are already demonstrating above average achievement on tests at the end of third grade. This higher level of achievement likely stems from educational experiences during the early childhood years, defined by education researchers as the period from birth to third grade. At the same time, disadvantaged districts that are already performing below grade level in third grade find it very challenging to make up that gap through growth between third and eighth grade.”