This is a collection of school improvement materials from the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory (NREL) school improvement research series. A topical synthesis, two "close-ups," and four "snapshots" focus on core aspects of early childhood education (ECE) and elementary education. The topical synthesis examines: (1) what well-designed research studies reveal about the long- and short-term effects of ECE: (2) whether different effects are produced by different program models; and (3) whether different populations of students respond differently to ECE in general or to particular schooling. Each NREL close-up provides detailed information on a single topic. Close-ups include a definition, a discussion of practice, and an annotated bibliography. Close-ups in this collection focus on classroom questioning and parent involvement in education. The NREL snapshots describe effective practices in the settings in which they are used. Snapshots collected here concern a literature-based reading instruction program at Pine Butte Elementary School in Colstrip, Montana; creative staffing arrangements at the Lynch Wood Elementary School in Portland, Oregon, and the Mukilteo School District in Everett, Washington; critical thinking across the curriculum at Aloha High School in a suburb near Portland, Oregon; and parent involvement at Spring Glen Elementary School in downtown Seattle, Washington. (RH)