History of Early Childhood Education in the United States

The history of early childhood education in the United States (US) is multifaceted. This bibliographical account of early childhood education and programs offers a glimpse into the range of approaches taken in the US to provide young children access to learning environments and services. The resources provided demonstrate the emergence of a diverse system unique to the US, in which education is a function of individual states rather than the federal government. Therefore, early childhood education is overseen by a variety of different entities, stemming from several distinctive philosophies, leading to a multiplicity of theoretical foundations, standards, regulations, curricula, and practices. Early childhood educators and scholars may use this bibliography to gain a deeper understanding of early childhood practice in a contemporary learning environment by exploring the roots of the ideas that inform teaching and learning in early childhood. By engaging with this historical account of early childhood education and programming, readers may become more familiar with the network of ideas that informs their own philosophy of teaching young children. The topics are designed to highlight the histories of the cultures served by early childhood education and the impetus for focused attention on young children in specific eras.