Arthur Reynolds, professor at the Institute of Child Development, writes about the proven effectiveness of pre-K and K-3 programs in combating the racial and socio-economic achievement gaps in Minnesota in the May 5 Pioneer Press.

As Reynolds states in the article, Close the achievement gap with better pre-K and K-3, “Although there are many K-12 disparities, the priority on preventing the school readiness and third-grade achievement gaps reflects the truism that “as the twig is bent, so goes the tree.” And he goes on to advocate for an approach that favors a coordinated effort to sustain early childhood gains from pre-kindergarten through third-grade by using a high-quality, school-based program that offers comprehensive education and family support services. He cites the very effective work being done by the Midwest Child-Parent Centers (CPC), which has been shown to eliminate the school readiness gap and while producing a 70% reduction in third-grade achievement disparities. Reynolds has found in recent research that as part of the CPC Midwest Expansion Project, the St. Paul Public Schools are showing similar results in student achievement and parent involvement.