Check out some of the events happening in Columbus in celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the only federal holiday designated as a National Day of Service. 

Quotable & Notable

Fact of the Week

An analysis described by The 74 Million examined around 11,000 U.S. elementary students from K-5 and found that racial and ethnic disparities in math and science start as early as kindergarten. Findings included that 13% of white students and 16% of Asian students display advanced math skills by kindergarten, contrasted with 4% for both Black and Hispanic students. When examining disparities like these, it is important to remember that broadly embedded systems of racism and discrimination impact families and children of color in many overlapping ways that contribute to lower scores. 

Policy Radar

State

This week, Gov. DeWine delivered the inaugural address for his second term as Ohio’s executive leader. You can read the short transcript here, which explicitly names access to quality child care among his priorities and reminds Ohioans that long-term investments are paramount to immediate political wins: 

“With that same optimism and faith in the future, I asked the people of Ohio and

the General Assembly to “do things where the results will not be immediate -- but

where they will be profound, and where they will endure.” And, I asked you to

invest -- to invest in things where, in many cases, “we will not see results during

this administration or even in our lifetimes,” but to act, nonetheless. 

This week the governor also signed an executive order expanding antidiscrimination protections to mothers who are nursing (and are state government employees). 

New from Crane

Last month, Crane launched a new website and training for early childhood educators to learn how to use the Read It Again! literacy supplement. Read more here and check out the program here, and please share with any early childhood educators you know may benefit from this free, evidence-based resource. 

FYI

New America is starting a new Practitioner Perspectives newsletter section to hear from early childhood practitioners across the nation. This month, they’re asking practitioners to share a classroom goal they have for this year. You can share your input here. 

Events and Happenings

Columbus Metropolitan Club is hosting “The Kids AREN'T Alright: Closing COVID's Learning Gap” on Wednesday, January 25th at noon at the Grange Audobon Society. Moderated by Eric Karolak of Action for Children, the event will feature Amy Gordon, Communities In Schools of Ohio; Cheryl Ward, United Way of Central Ohio; and Stéphane Lavertu, John Glenn College of Public Affairs at OSU to discuss initiatives to “close the COVID elementary-age learning gap in Central Ohio”. Register here. 

Beyond the Buckeye State

New Mexico has made headlines for its historic investments in early care and education, most recently through a constitutional amendment and securing of new funding sources. New America describes this effort and details the state’s unique Land Grant Permanent Fund through which early childhood funds will be allocated.

The WeVision EarlyEd Initiative in D.C., funded by the Bainum Family Foundation, has designated $6 million to test the feasibility of ideas for the district that include scheduling and staffing models designed to reduce teacher burnout, and early childhood education microsites meant to help programs with financial and operational stability.  

What We're Reading

This piece highlights the child care crisis facing many American parents through the lens of U.S. House Representatives who brought their children to work on the House floor last week during the historic vote for Speaker.

The 74 Million tells the story of the pandemic’s lasting effects on education in 14 charts. 

Research Round-Up

A new book by OSU adjunct assistant professor of psychology (and licensed psychologist specializing in children with learning difficulties) Nancy Krasa shares research-based ways to teach mathematics to young students, based on many of her and her colleagues’ studies. How Children Learn Math is based on a thorough review of developmental research on math cognition, a synthesis of that information, and how to make it applicable in teaching settings – though the book can be used by parents or caregivers as well. Read more about the book and about Krasa’s research here.

For more about math skills for young children, this piece from the Child and Family Blog describes research on the use of math games to improve skills for three-year-olds, and The 74 Million describes disparities in math (and science) that are apparent by kindergarten.