Inaugural Pre-K Curriculum Reports Reveal Strengths and Gaps in Widely Used Materials
Raleigh, North Carolina, April 28, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- EdReports, an independent nonprofit that provides free, evidence-rich reviews of instructional materials, today released its inaugural pre-K curriculum reports, extending its educator-led evaluation model into early learning.
With more than $250 million spent annually on pre-K materials and more states increasing access to publicly funded pre-K, the need for transparent information about curriculum quality is clear and pressing. The launch of EdReports’ pre-K reviews also advances two core priorities of the organization’s newly released strategic plan: innovating through expansion while maintaining the rigorous, transparent approach to curriculum review that has defined EdReports’ work in K-12.
“As EdReports looks to its next decade of impact, this work reflects both where we’ve been and where we’re going,” said Courtney Allison, chief academic officer at EdReports. “We helped the field build a clearer understanding of quality in K-12 curricula, and now we’re bringing that same commitment to pre-K. High-quality instructional materials matter from the very start, and this launch is part of our broader vision to help the field make better decisions throughout students’ learning journeys.”
Findings from the Inaugural Reviews
EdReports pre-K reviews are organized into three sections, called gateways:
The three products reviewed in EdReports’ inaugural pre-K release achieved the following gateway ratings:
Every Child Ready (AppleTree Institute for Education Innovation)
Frog Street (Frog Street Press, LLC)
The Creative Curriculum® for Pre-K (Teaching Strategies)
New Report Experience Designed for Usability
Because pre-K curriculum products differ meaningfully in structure and focus from K-12 materials, EdReports developed a new report design specifically for this inaugural launch. Informed by extensive user research and testing, the pre-K design gives educators, state and district leaders, and other stakeholders a clear overview of each product’s strengths and gaps. It also helps them better understand key indicators of quality so they can make curriculum decisions aligned to local needs.
“As someone who has coached pre-K teachers and led early learning initiatives, I’ve seen how much educators need reliable information about the materials they use with young learners,” said Shana Weldon, Ed.D., director of pre-K at EdReports. “I’m deeply grateful to the educator reviewers whose expertise, care, and time made these inaugural reports possible. Their work brings greater clarity to how these materials are designed to support learning across pre-K domains and gives educators and leaders useful information to inform local curriculum decisions.”
Explore the inaugural pre-K reports in the Reports Center and visit EdReports Resources to learn more about the pre-K review process and reviewers.
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About EdReports
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, 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 in K-12 as well as multi-domain pre-K products. The organization's work has been instrumental in helping educators across the country make informed decisions about the materials they use in their classrooms.
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