First,new findings hold promise for reduc-ing learning gaps and barriers and increasing the achievement of all children. More is now known about which early social and emotional,cogni-tive,physical,and academic competencies enable young children to develop and learn to their full potential.Such findings are useful in determining curriculum content and sequences for all children.But they are especially important in helping those children most likely to begin school with lower levels of the foundational skills needed to succeed and most likely to fall farther behind with time-among whom children of color,children growinng up in poverty,and English language learners are overrepresented.Another key aspectis ensur-ing that chidren who have learning dlfflculties or disabilities receive the eaely intervention ser-vices they need to learn and function well in the classroom.