An early reader looks to teacher, Josefina Pineda, in her Pre-K at the Dallas Independent School District elementary school Cesar Chavez Learning Center in Dallas, Texas.
An early reader looks to teacher, Josefina Pineda, in her Pre-K at the Dallas Independent School District elementary school Cesar Chavez Learning Center in Dallas, Texas. Robert W. Hart

A new study, published last week in the journal “Child Development,” found that early childhood programs in North Carolina resulted in higher test scores and a lower chance of being held back a grade, with benefits lasting at least five years. The study’s researchers followed nearly 1 million North Carolina students who attended state-funded early childhood programs between 1995 and 2010, tracking them through fifth grade. (National Public Radio)

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Alex Samuels was a reporter for The Texas Tribune from 2017 to 2021. She helped with national campaign coverage, wrote stories about the intersection of race and politics in Texas, and covered the hottest...