Skip to page content

School Readiness

Report
The Big Lift Evaluation: Research Findings Five Years In
The authors examine participation rates, kindergarten readiness, and third-grade outcomes of children eligible to participate in The Big Lift™, a preschool–third-grade initiative to designed to boost reading proficiency.
Nov 9, 2021
Journal Article
Virginia Preschool Initiative Plus: Cost Study Final Report
This report includes estimates of the Virginia Preschool Initiative Plus expenditures in the 2016–2017 and 2017–2018 school years as part of a larger evaluation of VPI+ that also examined the impacts of VPI+ on children's kindergarten entry outcomes.
Dec 22, 2020
Report
Estimating the Cost of Quality Early Childhood Care and Education in Oklahoma
Based on data from early childhood care and education (ECCE) providers in Oklahoma and a cost model tailored for the state, researchers estimated the cost of care by child age in center- and home-based settings and identified key ECCE cost drivers.
Oct 6, 2020
Research Brief
A Two-Generation Learning Program Educates and Empowers Parents and Children: An Assessment of Families Forward Learning Center in Pasadena, California
This brief summarizes how participants in the Families Forward Learning Center (FFLC)'s two-generation learning program perceive its benefits, and also compares FFLC children's educational outcomes through third grade with their peers' results.
Aug 3, 2020
Report
Evaluation of Families Forward Learning Center: Participant Perspectives and Student Outcomes
In this report, the authors examine how participants in the Families Forward Learning Center (FFLC)'s two-generation learning program perceive its benefits and compare FFLC children's educational outcomes through third grade with their peers'.
Aug 3, 2020
Journal Article
Strengthening the Quality of Early Childhood Education and Care Through Inclusion
Ensuring effective access to quality early childhood education and care for all remains a challenge in Europe, especially for those from disadvantaged backgrounds. This policy memo helps decision makers better understand this challenge and suggests some possible solutions.
Jun 16, 2020
Report
The Big Lift Descriptive Analyses: Progress Across Three Kindergarten Classes
In this report, the authors present results describing early learning outcomes of children from three kindergarten classes who were eligible to participate in The Big Lift, a preschool-third-grade initiative that aims to boost reading proficiency.
Jan 13, 2020
Research Brief
Advancing Investments in Evidence-Based Early Childhood Programs in New Hampshire
There is tremendous variability across New Hampshire communities in the extent to which the state's youngest children and their families face risks and stressors that can compromise healthy child development.
Jan 24, 2019
Report
Advancing Investments in the Early Years: Opportunities for Strategic Investments in Evidence-Based Early Childhood Programs in New Hampshire
This report examines the need for early childhood investments in communities across New Hampshire, current investments and how they match with needs, and where there are opportunities for further strategic investments in early childhood programs.
Jan 24, 2019
Research Brief
The Big Lift Preschool, Two Years In: What Have We Learned So Far?
The Big Lift preschool-third-grade initiative aims to boost children's reading proficiency. This second in a series of descriptive analyses shares follow-up data on 2016-2017 kindergarten class participants and initial data on 2017-2018 participants.
Dec 12, 2018
Report
The Big Lift Descriptive Analyses: Kindergarten Readiness and Elementary School Reading Outcomes for the 2016–2017 and 2017–2018 Kindergarten Classes
The Big Lift initiative aims to boost children's reading proficiency in San Mateo County, California. This second in a series of descriptive analyses shares follow-up data on the 2016-2017 kindergarten class and initial data for the 2017-2018 class.
Oct 10, 2018
Journal Article
Are Content-Specific Curricula Differentially Effective in Head Start or State Prekindergarten Classrooms?
Findings from this study demonstrate that content-specific curricula are effective in different preschool settings and should be leveraged to improve children's educational outcomes.
Jun 29, 2018
Report
The Big Lift Implementation Study: Final Report
The Big Lift, a learning initiative extending from preschool to third grade initiative in San Mateo County, aims to increase third grade reading proficiency in the county. As part of a Big Lift evaluation, this report focused on collective impact design and activity pillars.
Jun 25, 2018
Essay
High-Quality Early Childhood Programs Can Change Lives
The most comprehensive look to date at the benefits of early childhood education found that 102 of 115 programs improved at least one outcome for children beyond a statistical doubt. And the economic and social benefits continue to pay dividends, sometimes well into adulthood.
Jan 3, 2018
Research Brief
Big Lift Participation and School Entry Indicators: Early Findings
This brief summarizes results from RAND's descriptive analysis of participation rates and school readiness outcomes for children served in the first year of the Big Lift collective impact initiative.
Nov 28, 2017
Report
Big Lift Participation and School Entry Indicators: Findings for the 2016–2017 Kindergarten Class
The Big Lift is a learning initiative extending from preschool to third grade in San Mateo County, California. This report provides descriptive analyses of participation in Big Lift programs along with measures of kindergarten-readiness at school entry.
Nov 28, 2017
Research Brief
Decades of Evidence Demonstrate That Early Childhood Programs Can Benefit Children and Provide Economic Returns
An updated comprehensive review of rigorous evaluations of early childhood programs confirms and strengthens RAND researchers' findings from previous syntheses showing that many early childhood programs can improve a range of outcomes for children.
Nov 16, 2017
Report
Early Childhood Programs Can Improve Outcomes and Outweigh Costs
A review of 115 early childhood interventions — including preschool, home visiting, parent education, and other approaches — finds that most programs have favorable effects on at least one child outcome. And most of the programs with benefit–cost analyses show positive returns.
Nov 16, 2017
Report
How to Sustain Summer Learning Programs
Summer learning programs can provide academic support to students who need it the most. But they tend to be threatened when budgets are tight. Can integrating these programs into school districts' core priorities and operations improve their sustainability?
Oct 23, 2017
Multimedia
Informing Investments in High-Quality Preschool
In this congressional briefing, RAND senior economist, Lynn Karoly, presents findings from her research, which compiles the most reliable evidence concerning the short- and long-run effects of high-quality preschool programs for participating children and the associated costs, benefits, and economic returns.
May 5, 2017

1
2
3
Next

Research conducted by

RAND Education and Labor