The blogosphere is humming with news about the PreK-3rd movement, thanks partly to a new Pennsylvania State University report about the lack of coordination between early learning and elementary teacher education programs.

Top education bloggers are weighing in on the report, and Early Ed Watch offers one of the best overviews.

How can prospective educators be expected to embrace the PreK-3rd framework –a promising approach to improving students’ learning outcomes– if they don’t see the connections being made within their own education schools? The report shows that building teacher preparation programs that effectively bridge pre-k, kindergarten and the early grades of elementary school would likely require the fundamental restructuring of many education school programs. – “Preparing Teachers for Schools and Districts that Embrace PreK-3rd Reforms,” Early Ed Watch, 10/19/10.

The analysis suggests the broader point that even if teachers, advocates and principals embrace PreK-3rd - a movement working for better integration of early education and elementary school – it will make limited progress until the concept is embraced by higher education programs.

Education Week’s Early Years blog and EarlyStories also weigh in on the Penn State report. 

Then Early Ed Watch broadened the topic Wednesday by running a podcast with the official in charge of meetings in four cities on what should be done to coordinate early learning and grade school. The National League of Cities has a project looking at this topic. Seattle is one of the four featured cities. Check it out.

Access to Books Matters: Reading is Fundamental released a report showing that simply giving kids access to printed materials leads to them reading longer. It also improves their reading and attitudes towards learning and reading. Check out a summary here.