Leading economists agree that high-quality early learning programs can help level the playing field for children from lower-income families on vocabulary, social and emotional development, while helping students to stay on track and stay engaged in the early elementary grades.

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Mr. TERRENCE MANUEL (Detention Monitor, New Orleans West Elementary School): Do the grades count?

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For one, enrollment is on the rise for grades K-12: According to the National Center for Education Statistics, enrollment in public elementary and secondary schools rose an estimated 26 percent between 1985 and 2007.

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