A new study about the benefits of preschool for low-income children is making headlines today -- but it's old news to us. A pile of research going back more than a decade have shown that public investments in early care and education, including but not exclusively preschool, give children a lifelong boost and bring long-term cost savings to society.

There has been a lot of talk in the past week in light of a recent Slate article by Alison Gopnik titled “Why Preschool Shouldn’t Be Like School.” (Read the article here.)

My colleague, Aparna, who has a nearly two-year-old daughter in child care, reminded me today of an interesting situation that often happens in early childhood: separation anxiety. As a former preschool teacher, I know the scenario very well. Parents often establish a daily routine for dropping off their children at child care or preschool, routines varying from child to child, with the hope that the familiar ritual will help the child adjust. Some children are excited for "school" and mom and/or dad leave seeing a big smile on their child’s face.

One of our goals with "Little Citizens, Big Issues" is to showcase diverse voices and viewpoints from the community on issues affecting young children in the District. This post is by Jack McCarthy, managing director of AppleTree Institute for Education Innovation.

Fifty-six years after the District of Columbia moved to desegregate its schools, a new wave of integration will quietly sweep DCPS this fall with the incoming preschool class. 

This time it's not about race, but income. For the first time, in the District's Title I schools, three- and four-year-olds will be assigned to blended classrooms that include both low-income students enrolled in Head Start and non-Head Start students.