Prevention and Early Intervention for Preschool Children at Risk for Learning and Behavior Problems

Many of America’s young children face significant challenges as they enter kindergarten because they lack essential readiness skills and behaviors for school success. It is estimated that more than 25% of children in the United States, especially those from low-income families, are at risk for significant social-emotional, behavioral, and academic problems (Chambers, Cheung, & Slavin, 2006). Unfortunately, without early intervention, children who get off to a poor start in school rarely catch up. The majority of children who are poor readers at the end of first grade continue to be poor readers through elementary and secondary school (Torgesen, 2000). Similarly, there is a high continuity between challenging behaviors in preschool and emotional disturbance during adolescence and adulthood (Campbell, 2002).