Education Commons^™

Envisioning The Future Of Catholic Early Childhood Education, Martin Scanlan

College of Education Faculty Research and Publications

A hallmark of education is the conviction that parents are the primary educators of their children. Elementary and secondary Catholic school staffs recognize that while schools are vital, what they provide is secondary to what happens in the family. However, an important corollary to this frequently is ignored: the importance of early childhood education. Formal early childhood education is a vital component to long-term success in academics and in life. This is especially the case for children placed at risk by poverty, race and ethnicity, home language and disability. Catholic schools rightly have affirmed the role of parents and caregivers, …