What Could You Be Thinking?

Summary of Article's First 150 Words

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Thanks to the tireless efforts of advocates, a growing body of research, and grim statistics on school achievements and dropout rates fueling No Child Left Behind (NCLB), the early childhood arena is finally coming into the spotlight and being taken seriously by policy makers, funders, and K-12 educators. We should shout "BRAVO!" on the one hand, and be acutely vigilant on the other. Will all this attention, dollars for quality enhancement, and pre-kindergarten programs take us where we want to go? Or will teachers and children drown or swim away, their spirits unable to survive the tsunami of paperwork, assessments, and standards designed as accountability systems? Does this approach to quality improvement and assured learning outcomes deserve so much time and money? Or should these resources be aimed at improving working conditions, salaries, and a responsive pedagogy to engage teachers and children in learning?

Across the country early childhood program directors ...