Robert C. Pianta, PhD, is Dean of the School of Education and Human Development at the University of Virginia, where he is also the Novartis Professor of Education and Director of the Center for Advanced Study of Teaching and Learning. A former special education teacher, Dr. Pianta’s research focuses on investigating the effects of schooling on children’s social and academic outcomes, and on improving school and classroom experiences through teachers’ professional development. His team of education researchers has developed the Classroom Assessment Scoring System™, an observational measure that has been tested and proven effective in several large national studies and is being utilized by every Head Start program in the United States. Dr. Pianta is Editor of the Journal of School Psychology and the author of more than 400 journal articles, chapters, and books in the areas of early childhood development, transition to school, school readiness, and parent–child and teacher–child relationships. He consults regularly with federal agencies, foundations, and universities. Associate EditorsW. Steven Barnett, PhD, is Board of Governors Professor and Director of the National Institute for Early Education Research at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. Laura M. Justice, PhD, is Professor in the College of Education and Human Ecology at The Ohio State University, where she also directs the Children’s Learning Research Collaborative. Susan M. Sheridan, PhD, is George Holmes University Professor of Educational Psychology at the University of Nebraska, where she is also Director of the Nebraska Center for Research on Children, Youth, Families, and Schools and of the National Center for Research on Rural Education.

At a time when there are quite vocal challenges to the wisdom of providing early care and education to children and families in need, Pianta and his coeditors have assembled leaders in the field to report on the state of the science and practice. This comprehensive handbook conveys current knowledge about all dimensions of early childhood education: its history, developmental processes that underlie practices, exemplary instruction, and systems to put practices in place in states and communities. The Handbook is the definitive work of its kind and will be a great resource for practitioners, policymakers, and education scientists.--Samuel L. Odom, PhD, Director, Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel HillEarly childhood education has seen a dramatic explosion of research and programs over the past 20 years. This handbook not only examines the research of the past, it anticipates what we may discover in the future. Taken as a whole, these chapters address one of the most important questions we face as a nation: 'How can we improve the lives of children and families--particularly those living in poverty or those raising children under challenging conditions?'--Samuel J. Meisels, EdD, President, Erikson InstituteThe editors have assembled an outstanding handbook at the nexus of practice, policy, and research in early childhood education, one that captures the contemporary realities of this fast-moving, multidisciplinary field. The 27 chapters synthesize the knowledge base across four themes: early education opportunities, the impact of instruction and curriculum, developmental processes in early childhood, and building an effective early education system. The result is a tour de force because the individual authors do more than summarize--they write to forge connections between science and the education sector. This important volume is essential reading for students, researchers, practitioners, and policymakers.--Kathleen McCartney, PhD, Dean, and Gerald S. Lesser Professor in Early Childhood Development, Harvard Graduate School of EducationThis handbook accomplishes two impressive feats. It brings together in one place a rich array of chapters that reflect the contemporary realities and knowledge base in early childhood education--and the writing is consistently clear and crisp. The volume promises to become a definitive reference and required reading for researchers, policymakers, program administrators, and students in early childhood education.--Deborah Lowe Vandell, PhD, Professor and Chair of Education, University of California, IrvineThis handbook signals a new era--one in which early education is the foundation of a transformed public education system in the United States. Chapters on policy set the stage for the focus on learning and instruction, bolstered by chapters on development and on serving diverse learners. This volume will become an essential part of the preparation of educators, researchers, and policymakers striving to create a 21st-century education system that promises equality of opportunity for all children.--Ruby Takanishi, PhD, President and CEO, Foundation for Child Development, New York -

• I. Early Education Opportunities in the United States 1. Early Education in the United States: Programs and Access. 2. Early Childhood Care and Education: Enrollment Patterns and Expenditures 3. Investments in Early Education: Resources at the Federal and State Levels 4. Accountability and Program Evaluation in Early Education 5. More Than Teachers: The Early Care and Education Workforce 6. Restructuring and Aligning Early Education Opportunities for Cultural, Language, and Ethnic Minority Children 7. Language, Culture, and Early Education in the United States 8. Poverty Is a Knot, and Preschool Is an Untangler II. Instruction and Curriculum in Early Education Settings: Impacts on Young Children’s Preacademic Outcomes 9. Promoting Lower- and Higher-Level Language Skills in Early Education Classrooms 10. Promoting Early Literacy and Language Development 11. Mathematics Learning, Assessment, and Curriculum 12. Science and Early Education 13. Teacher–Child Play Interactions to Achieve Learning Outcomes: Risks and Opportunities 14. A Transactional Model of Effective Teaching and Learning in the Early Childhood Classroom III. Developmental Processes, Early Education, and Families 15. An Ecological Perspective for Understanding the Early Development of Self-Regulatory Skills, Social Skills, and Achievement 16. Executive Functioning and Developmental Neuroscience: Current Progress and Implications for Early Childhood Education 17. Scaffolding Self-Regulated Learning in Young Children: Lessons from Tools of the Mind 18. Fostering Collaborative Partnerships between Early Childhood Professionals and the Parents of Young Children 19. Interventions That Promote Social-Emotional Learning in Young Children, Celene E. Domitrovich, Julia E. Moore, Ross A. Thompson, and the CASEL Preschool to Elementary School Social and Emotional Learning Assessment Workgroup 20. Supporting the Social Competence of Young Children with Challenging Behavior in the Context of the Teaching Pyramid Model: Research-Based Practices and Implementation in Early Childhood Settings 21. Promoting Young Children’s Mental Health through Early Childhood Consultation: Ecological Advances and Research Needs IV. Building Systems of Effective Early Intervention Supports: Meeting the Needs of Diverse Children and the Adults Who Serve Them 22. Implications of Research on Postinstitutionalized Children for Practice and Policy in Early Education 23. Access, Participation, and Supports: A Framework for Improving Inclusive Early Education Opportunities for Children with Disabilities 24. Enhancing Teachers’ Intentional Use of Effective Interactions with Children: Designing and Testing Professional Development Interventions 25. Improving Language and Literacy Outcomes in Child Care 26. Higher Education for Early Childhood Educators and Outcomes for Young Children: Pathways toward Greater Effectiveness 27. Making the Case: Why Credentialing and Certification Matter