“The hard-earned, increasing acknowledgement by many stakeholders of the importance of child care programs and providers is at risk of crumbling. Only in the last decade has the nation come to understand the importance of early-learning programs for stimulating the development and learning of our nation’s youngest citizens. Along with this effort, researchers have increased our understanding of the specialized skill and knowledge that early educators must have to be effective in their work. The pandemic conditions and perspective that child care exists solely as a means for parents to work sidelines this progress.” 

 

-Our executive director Dr. Laura Justice and Mark Swartz in “ More bad news for child care: the importance of not looking away ” the second part in a three-part series “Our broken child care system and how to fix it” for Early Learning Nation  

The number of Ohioans who have received unemployment payments , to the tune of $1.9 billion, over a seven week period, according to Gongwer News.

COVID and child care  

This week, Gov. DeWine  lifted  the state’s “stay-at-home" order, or more precisely – made it a voluntary health advisory for Ohioans to exercise at their own will. This comes alongside several steps toward re-opening businesses, including child care centers and day camps (allowed to open May 31). These programs have to figure out how to comply with regulations intended to limit spread – no small task given that, well, small children aren’t exactly known for their abilities to social distance or cough into their elbows. Here are two stories about Ohio programs doing  such preparation . It’s also worth remembering that current health and safety regulations are likely to drive down centers’ capacity to serve families. (For instance, and this is purely anecdotal but drives home the point: the center my children go to for preschool/summer program is opening to 54 children, down from its 270 served at closing.) The strain facing our state’s child care system is even more immense than it was pre-COVID, which is to say – of urgent concern as it relates to the well-being of children and families.  

 

Schools   

State  policy  and education  leaders  are working to figure out what school can and should look like this fall. Education stakeholders spoke this week during an informational meeting held in the Senate Finance committee (testimonies available  here , under May 19), signaling the first of likely many such discussions about the future of Ohio schooling. The CDC has just issued  guidance on this topic ,  which  Education Week  breaks down  for readers. (On a somewhat related note,  Education Week  also  discusses  why education may become a more potent election issue this year.) And Bellwether Education Partners offers a useful resource in its “ Essential Questions for 2020-21 Reopening: A Planning Workbook for Education Leaders .” 

 

Meanwhile, the 74 Million has two worthwhile reads about Cleveland schools, for a more local take on policy as well as instructional issues in a pandemic landscape, as well as possible solutions. The first is about  mastery-based learning ; the second, the  digital divide . 

 

Food and nutrition  

Here’s a good  article  explaining the specifics of the Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) program, which will expand food assistance for Ohio families. 

ICYMI: faculty from the College of Education and Human Ecology, including our executive director Dr. Laura Justice, participated in a panel discussion on how COVID-19 is reshaping the early childhood and K-12 educational landscape.  Watch it here .  

OSU’s  ACCESS Collaborative  Program is hosting the National Student Parent Support Symposium virtually from May 27th-29th. This nationally-acclaimed symposium brings together students, community and higher education professionals to discuss best practices, policies, research, program models, and community collaboration when supporting post-secondary parenting students and their families. Check out the schedule and register  here . 

New America, in partnership with Better Life Lab, has a  new page  dedicated to spotlighting stories of the pandemic from the early childhood field. The page contains a collection of stories, profiles, podcasts, videos, and essays. 

 

The  New York Times  discusses the unique circumstances for working parents during the pandemic, in a piece about “ three things  lockdowns have exposed about working and parenting.” 

 

It’s no surprise that the pandemic has changed schooling across the globe rapidly. Here’s a  thoughtful take  on how it may transform teaching as well, such as an emphasis on personalized learning, changes in how we think about assessment, and “new power in the hands of parents and students.” Terrible circumstances notwithstanding, these all sound like positive changes.