Pre-K matters. This simple but profoundly important statement is the title of an infographic on the website of The Urban Child Institute. Pre-K is an investment with high returns. We have known for a while that early education, specifically pre-K, pays off in a student's success in school. Children who have experienced quality pre-K education are less likely to need special education or repeat a grade, and are more likely to graduate from high school and go to college. 

It's the first day of kindergarten – is your child ready to learn? That's the question The Urban Child Institute is aiming to help parents address with the release of their new "Kindergarten Readiness Begins at Birth" handbook. In it, the organization summarizes best practices to promote optimal brain development during early childhood, and outlines ways parents can work to ensure their child develops basic mental, emotional, and social skills needed to succeed in school.