DURHAM, N.C., May 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- For the first time in its history, EdReports, an independent nonprofit organization known for providing free reviews of instructional materials, has released comprehensive criteria for evaluating pre-Kindergarten (pre-K) curricula. EdReports has changed the marketplace in K–12 and we're seeking to scale the same impact with an official expansion into early learning.

"At EdReports, we’ve always believed that preparing students for success starts before kindergarten. Access to strong pre-K experiences set the trajectory for lifelong learning," said Eric Hirsch, chief executive officer at EdReports. "In a moment when families and educators face increasing uncertainty, our commitment to ensuring every child has access to engaging, research-based curriculum is more urgent than ever.”

With 90% of brain development occurring in the first five years of life and more than $250 million spent annually on pre-K materials, ensuring curriculum quality has never been more critical. Yet in most states, no single entity tracks the quality of early learning materials. EdReports' new pre-K criteria address this urgent need for transparent quality evaluation in a field where spending has reached record highs but per-child investment in quality has stagnated for decades.

"As someone who has coached pre-K teachers and led early learning initiatives at the district level, I understand how essential it is for educators to have access to high-quality, reliable curriculum, along with the support needed to implement it effectively,” said Shana Weldon, Ed.D, director of pre-K at EdReports. ”Our reviews bring together expert educators with deep classroom knowledge and passion for this work. This is a pivotal moment, not just for EdReports, but for every instructional leader and early childhood educator looking for trusted information to make the best choices for young learners."

While the importance of early access is widely recognized, less attention has been paid to the quality of what children are learning. Research shows that high-quality preschool experiences, especially for multilingual learners and historically underserved communities, can have profound, lasting impact. Ensuring educators have access to developmentally appropriate, research-aligned instructional materials is essential to setting young children on a path toward academic success.

Developed with guidance from EdReports' inaugural Pre-Kindergarten Advisory Board and through a nationwide Listening and Learning Tour, the review criteria will guide expert educator reviewers in evaluating pre-K instructional materials across multiple developmental domains.

Teams of reviewers will convene in Atlanta, GA this June to begin the inaugural reviews using the newly published criteria. The first reports using the criteria, as well as comprehensive evidence guides, are expected to publish in early 2026.

Products to be reviewed as part of EdReports’ inaugural process include:

• The Creative Curriculum (Teaching Strategies)
• Frog Street (Frog Street Press)
• Every Child Ready (AppleTree Institute for Education Innovation)
  
  

To explore the full pre-K review criteria and learn more about why this work matters, visit edreports.org/process/review-tools.

With the firm belief that what is taught matters and that all students deserve standards-aligned, research-based materials tailored to diverse needs, including multilingual learners, EdReports publishes free, online, evidence-rich reviews of instructional materials. Since its launch in 2015, EdReports has trained over 1,000 educators to conduct rigorous reviews of instructional materials and has released over 1,200 reviews of math, ELA, and science curricula. The organization's work has been instrumental in helping educators across the country make informed decisions about the materials they use in their classrooms.

For more on why high-quality pre-K curriculum matters and why EdReports is stepping into this space, check out “Why EdReports Is Reviewing Pre-K—and What’s Next” and “3 Reasons EdReports Is Launching Pre-K Curriculum Reviews”.

Media Contact: Kenya Payne, kpayne@edreports.org