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Assistant Professors Michael Little and Timothy Drake Developing North Carolina Early Grades Leadership Collaborative…

Michael Little

A preschool teacher stands over a student working at a table.

Apr 14, 2026

EdNC: Perspective | Supporting Principal Leadership for Early Learning

With pre-K now offered in more than 60% of elementary schools nationwide, early learning can no longer be treated as a peripheral concern — it should be at the core of what principals do.

Mar 3, 2026

Associate Professor Michael Little Selected to Join American Education Research Journal Editorial Board

Michael Little, an associate professor of educational evaluation and policy analysis in NC State’s College of Education, has been selected to join the editorial board of the American Educational Research Journal.

Sep 25, 2025

Announcing Our Newly Promoted Faculty

Join us in celebrating nine College of Education faculty members who have received promotions effective the 2025-26 academic year.

Sep 18, 2024

Six College of Education Students Prepare to Address Teacher Shortages By Becoming Math, Science Educators Through NC State STEM Education Scholars Program

Six graduate and undergraduate students are set to become the first cohort of NC State STEM Education Scholars, through a $1.2 million grant from the National Science Foundation Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program.

Sep 9, 2024

Crane Center for Early Childhood Research and Policy: Rebuilding After COVID-19: Does School-Based Pre-K Hold Promise?

In a presentation for The Ohio State University's Crane Center for Early Childhood Research and Policy, Assistant Professor Michael Little examined the role of school-based pre-kindergarten (SBPK) in post-pandemic education.

May 6, 2024

Chalkbeat: Preschool is Popular, and More Colorado School Districts Are Adding It

Assistant Professor Michael Little said research is generally inconclusive about the benefits of attending preschool in a public school versus a private setting, likely because public schools don’t take full advantage of the opportunities that come with on-site preschool.

Dec 4, 2023

Education Week: A New Study Shows How Schools Can Maximize Full-Day Pre-K’s Benefits

Assistant Professor Michael Little discusses principals' involvement with Pre-K programs housed in elementary schools.

Oct 10, 2022

Education Week: Principals Matter for Preschools, But Studies Show They Lack Training

Assistant Professor surveyed a representative pool of 520 head and assistant principals in that state who administered at least one age level of pre-kindergarten in their schools. Nearly 80 percent of the principals said they considered it a “very good idea” to house preschool programs in the elementary school
Belltower framed by white blooms on a tree in spring.

Jul 14, 2022

NC State College of Education Awarded $4.2 Million in Grant Funding From April Through June, 2022

Faculty and researchers at the NC State College of Education, including the Belk Center for Community College Leadership and Research and the Friday Institute for Educational Innovation, were awarded $4,221,501 to support 11 projects from April 1 through June 30, 2022.
A principal with students at a public school in North Carolina.

Jun 29, 2022

Assistant Professors Michael Little and Timothy Drake Developing North Carolina Early Grades Leadership Collaborative to Help Principals Better Serve Pre-K-3 Students

Early findings show that while elementary school leaders in North Carolina are supportive of early education programs in their schools, they do not have sufficient knowledge or engagement with the standards and evidence-based practices to support them, according to research from Assistant Professors Michael Little and Timothy Drake.