New report highlights three decades of evidence demonstrating the impact of public television and community partnerships on children's learning
WASHINGTON, D.C. – June 2, 2026 - Education Development Center (EDC) released a new report highlighting the long-standing impact and effectiveness of the Ready To Learn (RTL) initiative, a federal investment in early childhood education that has helped children and families nationwide access high-quality educational content and learning opportunities through public media for more than 30 years.
EDC will formally release the report during a June 2 briefing and discussion on Capitol Hill hosted by America’s Public Television Stations (APTS.) The event will bring together lawmakers, congressional staff, public media leaders, educators, and community partners to highlight the extraordinary educational impact of the Ready To Learn program and the role local stations play in reaching children and families most in need.
The report highlights how local public television stations across the country have leveraged Ready To Learn resources to support young children’s literacy, math, and science learning through on-air, digital, mobile, and community-based engagement initiatives.
Ready To Learn uses the power of public television’s educational programming, digital content, and local partnerships to help children ages 2 to 8 build foundational skills and support caregivers as active partners in learning. More than half of 3- and 4-year-olds are not enrolled in preschool programs in the United States, making access to trusted educational resources especially important for many families. Ready To Learn helps meet that need by providing research-based learning opportunities at home and in communities nationwide.
“This report documents decades of evidence showing that Ready To Learn helps children build critical literacy, math, and science skills through trusted public media experiences,” said Shelley Pasnik, senior vice president at EDC. “The initiative’s success reflects not only the strength of the content itself, but also the essential role local public television stations play in connecting children, families, educators, and caregivers with high-quality learning opportunities in their communities.”
“Ready To Learn is the heart of public television, supporting the core educational content and services offered by local public television stations throughout the country,” said Kate Riley, president and chief executive officer of America’s Public Television Stations. “As this independent research shows, Ready To Learn has impacted millions of families -- educating, inspiring and uplifting children for over three decades with free, universally accessible, proven educational content and services, all while preparing them for success in school and life.”
For more information, access the full report and the executive summary.
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About Education Development Center
Education Development Center (EDC) is a global nonprofit that advances lasting solutions to improve education, promote health, and expand economic opportunity. Since 1958, we have been a leader in designing, implementing, and evaluating powerful and innovative programs in more than 80 countries around the world. Visit www.edc.org.
About America’s Public Television Stations
America’s Public Television Stations (APTS) is a nonprofit membership organization ensuring a strong and financially sound public television system and helping member stations provide essential public services in education, public safety and community connections to their local areas and the American people. For more information, visit www.apts.org.
Media Contact:
EDC: Jamie Bertolis, Assistant Director of Communications, 617-618-2343
APTS: Stacey Karp, Senior Director, Communications, 202-654-4222