Blog
New Study: Storytelling Skills Are Strong Predictor of Early Literacy in African American Children
Research from Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute is the first to demonstrate the connection between African American preschoolers’ oral narrative abilities and development of their early reading skills. Iheoma Iruka of the Buffett Early Childhood Institute was one of the researchers.
Kindergarten is an Important Year in Students’ Lives
Kindergarten requires a unique approach to teaching that merges the education styles of preschool and the primary grades.
NAEYC: Tips for Starting Preschool
Early childhood educators and a kindergarten teacher offer suggestions to help parents create a smooth transition for children entering a preschool program for the first time.
Happy First Birthday, Nebraska Step Up to Quality!
Nebraska Step Up to Quality celebrated its first birthday July 1 and celebrated a year of working to improve early care and education quality, and increase positive outcomes for young children to close the achievement gap.
Senator Mello: Nebraska is Well-Positioned to Continue to Invest in Our Children, Grow Our Economy
Appropriations Committee Chair Mello sees tremendous opportunity for policymakers to improve the lives of Nebraska's children and families while continuing to build on our state’s overall economic momentum.
New Website Offers Extensive Resources for Early Childhood Educators
Patriotic Books for Toddlers
Parents are their children's most important role models—and reading aloud is the most important thing a parent can do to prepare a child for reading and learning. Here are a few great seasonal books for this time of year.
The power of high-quality early childhood education
In this short video of a TEDx talk at the University of North Carolina, researcher Kate Gallagher talks about the ground-breaking Abecedarian Project in which low-income children received quality early childhood education. Now, 35 years later, we continue to see how high-quality early care and education changed the life trajectories of the children who participated.
10 Ways Children Benefit from Involved Fathers
Did you know that numerous studies point specifically to the long-term benefits children receive when their fathers are actively engaged in their care? Research shows that involved fathers relate to their children in ways that produce specific developmental benefits.
Nebraska Department of Education Revises Rules on Early Childhood Education
The Nebraska Department of Education held a hearing on June 2 to take comments on its revisions to Rule 11. The most significant changes to the Rule related to requirements for prekindergarten programs that provide parent education.
Early Childhood Highlights from Nebraska’s 2015 Legislative Session
Balancing a wide variety of public interests and with great bipartisan support, the Nebraska Legislature again recognized the critical importance of children’s early years prior to adjourning the 2015 legislative session on May 29. Of preeminent importance to First Five Nebraska is public policy that recognizes the development of the brain in the early years literally shapes the learning capacity for the rest of a child’s life. Here's a summary of our highest priority bills from the 2015 legislative session.
Senators Campbell and Sullivan: Unique LB547 Partnerships Will Reach More At-Risk Children
With true bipartisanship, Nebraska senators passed and Governor Ricketts signed legislation to allow partnership between child care providers and schools to help young children receive the kinds of early experiences known to foster cognitive and character skills that lead to success in school and life.