ETS: National Symposium Addressing Current Education Challenges and Overall Development of the Nation's Pre-school and Kindergarten Children, September 18, 2015

You are invited to a National Symposium Addressing Current Education Challenges and Overall Development of the Nation's Pre-school and Kindergarten Children Dear Colleague: Together with Sesame Workshop® and the Children's Defense Fund, ETS is pleased to present "Success Starts Young: Closing Achievement Gaps Where They Begin — A National Symposium on Early Learning Standards, Kindergarten Readiness, and Technology and Early Learning." When:  September 18, 2015 Where:  National Press Club 529 14th Street, NW Washington, DC 20045 Register now > The focus of the symposium is on pre-K standards, kindergarten readiness and the role of technology in early learning. The symposium program includes speakers on the following topics: Early Learning Standards: Participants will discuss the early learning standards throughout the United States and territories, how they are being used by multiple stakeholders, and issues related to their accessibility by the broad and diverse population of the nation. Speakers will discuss the breadth of early learning standards, showing how they consist of academic subjects as well as social/emotional development and other characteristics of learning and development. Kindergarten Readiness: Participants will explore the concept of "kindergarten readiness," and the varying methods used to assess and prepare children to enter kindergarten. Speakers will also discuss steps that can be taken in order to avoid placing some segments of the early childhood population at an unfair disadvantage. Technology and Early Learning: Participants will discuss how young children increase their learning through technology, including accessibility and uses of technology by diverse and economically disadvantaged populations. In addition, participants will consider how to judge the quality of education apps and games for use both inside and outside formal school settings. Keynote speaker, Rosemarie Truglio, Senior Vice President of Curriculum and Content at Sesame Workshop, will be joined by a special friend and they will discuss "How Sesame Street Helps Kids Grow Smarter, Stronger and Kinder: Language & Vocabulary Development." Register today to join us as we discuss these important issues related to early childhood education. Please forward this invitation to your colleagues, so that they too can register and attend the symposium. You can also subscribe to our mailing list to receive notifications and news about future ETS events and publications. Hope to see you in September! Warm regards, Michael Nettles, Ph.D. Senior Vice President and Edmund W. Gordon Chair Educational Testing Service Princeton, NJ 08541 Andrea DeBruin-Parecki, Ph.D. Principal Research Program Manager Educational Testing Service Princeton, NJ 08541