This month's U.S. Department of Education monthly TV show, "Education News Parents Can Use," will offer tips for parents on how to ensure young children enter school ready to read and ready to learn.

In a segment entitled, "Early Childhood Education: Good Start, Grow Smart," the program will be carried from 8 to 9 p.m. EDT Tuesday on the Dish Network, dozens of PBS stations and numerous cable outlets. Others, including The Learning Channel, will broadcast the show on a tape-delayed basis. A complete listing of viewing options is available at www.ed.gov/edtv. In addition, viewers can watch an archived webcast of the program at www.connectlive.com/events/ednews/.

Research on language acquisition and brain development shows that the groundwork for reading and learning begins from the day a child is born. When young children are given an environment rich in language and literacy and full of opportunities to listen to and use language constantly, they can begin to acquire the essential building blocks for learning how to read.

Tuesday's broadcast will feature:

• A discussion with Norma Garza, senior advisor to U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings for early childhood education, and Robert Pianta, director of the National Center for Research on Early Childhood Education at the University of Virginia. They'll describe the tools, resources and assistance offered by the Education Department to ensure students enter school ready to read and ready to learn.

• A conversation with two Early Reading First project directors and Norma Garza about best practices in early childhood education, including: how to implement "literacy rich" environments for preschool youth, effective professional development techniques for early childhood educators and key strategies proven to increase preschool literacy achievement.

• A roundtable with Garza, Noel Gunther, executive director of the PBS series Reading Rockets; and Nina Sazer O'Donnell, director of National Strategies for Success By 6® for the United Way of America. They'll talk about national efforts to promote high quality early learning experiences, critical questions parents should ask teachers and administrators to ensure their children are receiving the best quality early education, and the most important factors parents should consider when choosing a preschool. And,

• Video case studies featuring Kalkaska CARES (Children Acquiring Reading Essential Skills) in Kalkaska, Mich., and a Reading Rockets video segment about print awareness. In addition, a public service announcement from the United Way will be featured about the importance of early childhood education.

The "Education News Parents Can Use" TV series airs monthly during the school year.

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