K-12 Dive By Kara Arundel November 29, 2022 Preschoolers who receive mental health services are less likely to be diagnosed with a disability, according to unpublished research from Youth Research Inc., a nonprofit that supports New York’s Office of Children and Family Services and local agencies....
Forbes By Alison Griffin November 21, 2022 As a single, working mom, I know firsthand how the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated instability across the childcare industry. I also know that the last two years have required families — particularly those who are resource constrained — to make unimaginable sacrifices. I experienced these challenges from a place of privilege and resource, and even I had days that felt insurmountable....
By Dana Suskind November 18, 2022 Compared with other wealthy nations, the United States is a uniquely difficult place to raise children. One in four mothers returns to work within two weeks of giving birth, and we’re the only rich country that doesn’t have federally mandated paid leave for new parents. While other wealthy countries invest an average of $14,000 a year for every toddler’s care, America spends $500. The pandemic sharpened our awareness of these problems—parents left the workforce in droves, child-care...
K-12 Dive By Kara Arundel November 17, 2022 WASHINGTON – Being attentive to early childhood educators’ well-being is critical not only to retaining teachers but to helping them be better classroom leaders, said speakers at a Wednesday session at the annual conference of the National Association for the Education of Young Children. During a two-month pilot program last summer with eight early childhood educators in the Washington, D.C. area, the speakers said they explored how wellness coaching could reduce teachers’ stress and increase their self-confidence and optimism. ...
Fortune By Chloe Taylor November 17, 2022 The intersection of a health crisis with a massive shortage of childcare staff is forcing working parents to take time off from their jobs at unprecedented rates....
November 10, 2022 Alliance for Early Success allies across the country are sharing election results that impact children and families. We’ve compiled their summaries in an initial overview of where the country stands two days after the election. While we don’t yet know the extent of the changes we’ll see on the national level, there is lots to report on state political landscapes — where the bulk of early childhood policy rises and falls....
New America By Lydia Mackie Oct. 27, 2022 Tiny monarch caterpillars arrived at the school, not floating through the air, but with the thud of a package on concrete. Our postal carrier had no idea how many lessons were going to emerge from that box for the prekindergartners at our public school in Washington, DC. First, we created a mesh net habitat and placed it in the tiny side yard of our concrete school building, which is just a few feet from a busy...
The Reform Alliance Oct. 18, 2022 The Reform Alliance says Focusing on education dialogue with students and families, not buildings, is step in right direction. Little Rock, AR – The Reform Alliance is encouraged to see the unveiling of Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ education agenda. Her plan, Arkansas LEARNS, is a step in the right direction – focusing the education dialogue on students and families, not buildings. “With third-grade reading levels at an abysmal 35 percent statewide, it is comforting to know that if she is...
The Washington Post By The Editorial Board October 11, 2022 Many sectors are reeling from massive labor shortages — but few affect families more intimately than what is happening with child care. With lengthy waiting lists and soaring costs, the scale of the crisis is obvious. Less clear is how the country can quickly fix it. First, the problem: Like other caregiver industries, child care was hit hard by covid-19. There are nearly 90,000 fewer child-care workers today than in February 2020 — an...
Fortune By Ellen McGirt October 11, 2022 If you have been paying attention to the shocking lack of childcare options for working families in the U.S.—some 126,000 already underpaid caregivers have left the industry since the pandemic began in 2020—you may (or may not) be shocked by how we really got here....
K-12 Dive By Naaz Modan October 10, 2022 Almost half of early childhood educators are experiencing high levels of burnout and stress, according to a nationwide survey of 2,300 educators. The survey, published by early childhood education resource provider Teaching Strategies, shows 45% of early child educators are battling mental health challenges and burnout. Almost the same percentage, 43%, say staffing shortages are affecting their stress level. Mental health challenges are also partly why early childhood educators are considering a career change, according...
EdSource By Karen D'Souza September 30, 2022 Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill Friday that will streamline access to the state’s subsidized early childhood education system. Introduced by Sen. Monique Limón, D-Santa Barbara, Senate Bill 1047, formerly SB 50, makes it easier for low-income families to access the state-funded California State Preschool Program and subsidized child care system by automatically granting eligibility to families who are already enrolled in CalFresh, Medi-Cal, WIC or Head Start, cutting a layer of red tape....
The Hechinger Report By Ariel Gilreath September 29, 2022 Many people might think the main benefit of a high-quality preschool program is the academic boost it gives young children when they enter elementary school. But the strongest positive effects may show up years, and even decades, later and have little to do with test scores and grades. Researchers at Georgetown University have been studying the impact of Tulsa, Oklahoma’s program for two decades. In a new set of working papers, the researchers found long-term...
The Atlantic By Stephanie H. Murray September 28, 2022 A child’s ability to succeed in the classroom is powerfully influenced by their home environment. Giving parents the support they need could be key to fixing American education. Many American schools are failing to provide all students with a quality education, and policy makers don’t seem to know what to do about it. Even before schools closed during the pandemic, 30 percent of graduating seniors failed to reach a basic level of competency in reading,...
CNBC By Dana Suskind September 24, 2022 Resilience is the ability to face a challenge and come out the other side with some measure of growth and success, and there has never been a more important time for parents to help their kids build it. As a physician who studies early brain development, I’ve found one surprising factor that contributes to increased resilience at a young age: creating “nurturing routines.” Studies show that having structure and familiar rituals teaches kids how to constructively manage themselves...
Diply By Ashley Hunte September 12, 2022 Snoop Dogg's rap persona may be far from family friendly, but that doesn't mean he can't make time for the kids, apparently. The Grammy-nominated artist has decided to take on a new business venture. That's right, Snoop Dogg has co-founded and launched a YouTube channel. But you won't see any references to drugs or adult themes there. Instead, you'll see hip-hop-infused nursery rhymes....
SZCF's President Elliot Steinberg attended and spoke at The Hunt Institute's bipartisan Early Childhood Leadership Summit in Phoenix, AZ., along with Dr. Dana Suskind, author of Parent Nation, who was introduced by Steinberg as the event's keynote speaker. The event brought together 52 state teams, including Puerto Rico and Washington DC, comprised of senior elected officials, gubernatorial staff, and key early childhood system leaders....
By Alyssa Haywoode | Eye on Early Education August 9, 2022 The Vital Role of Play in Early Childhood — and How to Explain this to More Adults Play is important for children. However, what’s missing from this important idea, a new report says, is a clear understanding of how play can be an effective learning strategy in early childhood settings – and how best to share this concept with the public. The report – “The Role of Play in Designing Effective Early Learning Environments and...
By Catherine Lucey and Natalie Andrews Aug. 17, 2022 WASHINGTON—Democrats made programs such as universal prekindergarten and paid family leave a central part of their agenda, and yet none of those policies were included in the legislative package signed into law Tuesday by President Biden. The $700 billion bill, known as the Inflation Reduction Act, doesn’t include child-care subsidies, prekindergarten, paid leave or the child tax credit. All were part of the president’s early proposals and were included in the original $3.5 trillion...
Press Release | The Education Trust August 17, 2022 A new report from The Education Trust and Generation Hope finds that there is no state in which a student parent can work 10 hours per week at the minimum wage and afford both tuition and child care at a public college or university WASHINGTON – As student loan debt is now $1.7 trillion, cries to make college affordable are reaching a fever pitch. The Biden-Harris administration is currently deciding whether to cancel...