Promoting Early Education Quality (PEEQ)

The majority of children ages 5 and younger who have not started school spend time in the care of someone other than their parents, often while their parents are working. Since this is also the period during which children’s brains are most rapidly developing, the experiences children have in those care arrangements can have a lasting impact on their lives. The professional field that provides this valuable service has gone by many names – day care, child care, preschool, pre-k, early learning, child development, etc. No matter the name, these are the settings where over a million Texas children learn and grow every day. We use the inclusive term early education in recognition of the fact that for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers every experience is a learning experience.

Promoting Early Education Quality (PEEQ) is a statewide program of Texas A&M AgriLife Extension dedicated to encouraging the adoption of research- and evidence-based practices at all levels of the early education field. This program provides an extensive selection of professional development tools for early childhood professionals aligned with state-mandated training requirements and industry standards, including in-person training events hosted by County Extension Agents across the state, instructor-led virtual training opportunities, and a robust library of self-paced online courses.

In addition to training teachers, caregivers, and administrators, it also provides training for various groups who provide technical assistance for the early childhood workforce, such as Child Care Health Consultants, Texas Healthy Building Blocks Technical Assistance Consultants, and Child Care Regulation staff. PEEQ collaborates with other state agencies, institutions of higher education, and other stakeholders on a variety of initiatives to improve Texas’ early education systems.