“A timely work on one of the most important social policy issues of the next decade. This volume will inform the discussion of such essential questions as how to balance affordability and quality in early care and education; how early education curricula can balance 'hard' and 'soft' skills; and what programs have proven most effective and scalable. It will inspire scholarship and guide professional training. The book is equally useful for college courses in education and for policy briefing.”

—Kenneth A. Dodge, PhD, William McDougall Professor of Public Policy and Director, Center for Child and Family Policy, Duke University


“A 'must-have' resource for professionals in early childhood development and learning. In an era of transformative advances in science and practice, this volume provides critical information that organizes and advances the field. Leading researchers have contributed to a progressive, content-rich work situated squarely within an ecologically valid approach. The book is both ambitious and exciting in its identification of research directions that could honestly begin to close the gaps that define early schooling experiences today. Interventionists and administrators will appreciate the rigorous reviews of programs for school and community use. As a text, this is a valuable resource for undergraduate and graduate classes; it is particularly relevant for graduate student research and seminars on critical issues in the field.”

—Susan M. Sheridan, PhD, George Holmes University Professor of Educational Psychology and Director, Nebraska Center for Research on Children, Youth, Families and Schools, University of Nebraska-Lincoln


“Boivin and Bierman have pulled together a masterful volume on topics that lie at the forefront of theory, research, practice, and policy. They have assembled a cadre of internationally renowned experts who collectively advance an interdisciplinary understanding of the conceptualization and measurement of school readiness; its developmental antecedents and sequelae; the societal value of designing state-of-the-art childhood programs and interventions; and the challenges associated with implementing changes at a broader, national scale. This is a 'must-read' book for researchers, students, practitioners, and policymakers across a range of disciplines who are interested in the sociocultural contexts of early learning and who aim to nurture children's development of cognitive, language, social, and emotional skills.”

—Catherine S. Tamis-LeMonda, PhD, Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, New York University


“An excellent, much-needed resource for understanding the full developmental spectrum of school readiness, this volume is comprehensive and research based. It reveals the breadth and depth of a construct that is often discussed in simplistic terms.”

—Susan B. Neuman, EdD, Teaching and Learning Department, Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, New York University


“Synthesizing current research on early childhood development as it relates to school readiness and school transition, this book combines breadth of coverage—spanning basic research to interventions—with thoughtful analyses of current issues. It includes a helpful introduction and conclusion by the editors. This will be a very useful addition to the reading lists of advanced seminars in developmental psychology, early childhood education, and public policy.”

—Frederick J. Morrison, PhD, Department of Psychology and School of Education, University of Michigan