Baltimore, MD—The National Center for Research on Early Childhood Education (NCRECE) and Brookes Publishing launched a new book series on the cutting edge of early childhood education research with the recent publication of The Promise of Pre-K (Brookes Publishing, April 2009). With five volumes planned, the NCRECE book series is designed to stimulate critical thinking around key topics in early education and analyze policy, practice, and future research aims.

Based at the University of Virginia, the NCRECE pulls together top researchers in early childhood education from across the United States to improve and advance the field. Each volume in the new series will be a synthesis of presentations and discussions at the NCRECE Leadership Symposiums, held annually to examine prominent issues that affect the educational experiences and outcomes of young children. The series will disseminate essential research findings and implications to early childhood education researchers, policy makers, teacher educators, and practitioners.

The NCRECE book series is co-edited by leading early childhood education experts, Robert C. Pianta, Ph.D., and Carollee Howes, Ph.D. In addition to serving as the Director of the NCRECE, Pianta is also Director of the Center for Advanced Study of Teaching and Learning (CASTL) and Dean at the Curry School of Education at the University of Virginia. Howes is Director of the Center for Improving Child Care Quality and Professor in the Department of Education at University of California–Los Angeles.

The Promise of Pre-K, edited by NCRECE series editors Pianta and Howes, is the inaugural volume in the series. Stemming out of NCRECE's first Annual Leadership Symposium in 2007, the book describes and evaluates the first generation of publicly funded prekindergarten programs and encapsulates the opportunities that exist for pre-K. The Promise of Pre-K also addresses the national and state-level challenges of implementing preschool education and provides concrete examples of successful state-level pre-K programs that respond to children's needs, help close the achievement gap, and ensure school readiness. Libby Doggett, Ph.D., Deputy Director of the Pew Center on the States, describes the book as "an unrivaled field reference for anyone working toward high-quality pre-K for all & the authors capture the breadth of this national movement, the intricacies of building state pre-K programs, and the essential questions policymakers and advocates must confront."

The Promise of Pre-K is available from Brookes Publishing Co. (1-800-638-3775; www.brookespublishing.com). A second series volume on quality improvement initiatives in early childhood is slated for publication in late 2010.

The Promise of Pre-K
by Robert C. Pianta, Ph.D., & Carollee Howes, Ph.D. (Brookes Publishing, April 2009)
$29.95; 208 pages; 6 x 9 paperback; ISBN 978-1-59857-033-5

Review copies available upon request. Please contact Amy Perkins at 410-337-9580 x128 or aperkins@brookespublishing.com.

About NCRECE

The National Center for Research on Early Childhood Education (NCRECE) focuses on conducting research, disseminating research findings, and carrying out leadership activities aimed at improving the quality of early childhood education across the United States. Based at the University of Virginia and directed by Robert C. Pianta, Ph.D., the NCRECE is funded by the Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education. Please visit www.ncrece.org to learn more.

About Brookes Publishing

For 30 years, Brookes Publishing has been a leading provider of resources on child development, early intervention, education, disabilities, communication and language, behavior, and mental health. An independent company, Brookes Publishing is headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland. Please visit www.brookespublishing.com to learn more.