Eric.ed.gov – Louisiana’s Pre-K through Third Grade Guidebook for Sites & System Leaders

The years between pre-K and third grade are vital for creating the foundation for later school success. The skills students develop at one age level or grade must be built upon and reinforced in later grades. Furthermore, for students to sustain gains made in one grade, they must continue to receive high-quality teaching in subsequent grades. Despite the growing efforts to expand quality pre-Kindergarten opportunities for 4-year olds and to close early achievement gaps, many young children in Louisiana still lack access to a high-quality continuum of learning that could make a difference in positive, long term achievement outcomes. Gaps and disparities in learning exist even as children enter pre-Kindergarten and these persist and grow larger throughout early elementary school. Though both early childhood community networks and school districts across Louisiana are working hard on many fronts to improve the quality of education in pre-K through third grade, challenges remain. These include: (1) Different beliefs about what and how children should learn across the progression; (2) Misaligned curriculum programs or ineffective implementation of quality programs; (3) Disconnected assessment methods (e.g., screening and progress monitoring); (4) Conflicting goals and priorities for professional development; (5) Inconsistent use of teacher observation systems; and (6) Lack of family engagement and awareness of support services available for children and families. To eliminate these barriers, a seamless support system for early learning needs to be built – one that prepares all children to achieve mastery in reading and math in third grade and beyond. The purpose of this document is to provide site and system leaders with information and guidance on creating strong plans for their schools that ensure quality and continuity of proven practices across pre-K through third grade so children and families experience smooth and effective transitions, thrive in the early elementary years, and achieve mastery in reading and math in third grade and beyond.