Reaching for consensus about preschool curricula

Abstract

The need for equitable access to high-quality preschool has recently gained unprecedented attention. As states and districts strive to expand access while promoting quality, curriculum quality has emerged as a critical component of preschool programs that promote young children’s learning. Yet many educators make curricular decisions with insufficient guidance on what constitutes curricular quality. Indeed, deep divisions in the field are evident regarding how to define quality in preschool curricula. Jeanne L. Reid and Sharon Lynn Kagan explore the areas of consensus and disagreement among early education leaders. They argue that — using guidance from a study at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and drawing from international models of curriculum frameworks — the field can move toward consensus on what constitutes a high-quality curriculum and thus help to fulfill the promise of equitable access to high-quality preschool.