Early Childhood & Learning Toolkit

The Early Childhood & Learning Toolkit is aimed at supporting all providers of early learning, especially school districts, as they embrace the significant responsibility of providing early childhood education. Designed by AASA’s Early Learning Cohort, which was lead by NHSA, the Early Childhood and Learning Toolkit is a resource offering actionable practices. It aims to provide educators with a gateway to make a positive difference in the lives of the nation’s 50 million public school children and their families.

Seven Early Childhood & Learning Toolkit Strategies

The toolkit provides seven strategies designed to offer educators a blueprint for success. They are:

  • Promote Equity from the Start
  • Improve Alignment and Transitions
  • Establish Partnerships with the Early Childhood Education Community
  • Engage Families and Communities Early
  • Support Strong Executive Function and Social Emotional Learning
  • Provide Ongoing Professional Development for Early Educators
  • Self-Assessment Tools for the early childhood education community

How to Get Started

  • Take time to review the research featured in the toolkit
  • Use the highlighted stories from leading districts to examine well-established practices that allow for children and families to be successful.
  • Review the common terms and definitions for a shared sense of vocabulary, which will aid connecting resources, programs, and ideas.
  • Explore the the seven strategies! Each has as specific and unique symbol assigned to make it easy to locate and use resources.

AASA’s Early Learning Cohort

In addition to NHSA, AASA’s Early Learning Cohort includes the Buffett Family Foundation, First Book, the National Association for the Education of Young Children, and Waterford.org. Established in 2017, the Cohort consists of superintendents, central office administrators, building principals, teachers and educational leaders from across the U.S. committed to supporting school systems nationwide.

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