“Early education contributes to school readiness, social integration, and the overall health and well-being of children. Yet it was not an option my family — like many immigrants — considered or even fully understood. Child care, as most Americans think of it, is culturally and financially inaccessible to families for whom maintaining basic safety and earning income are chief concerns; it’s even more so for immigrants, with limited context for or exposure to the web of complicated, invisible, and expensive child care options Americans navigate.”
This blog post from New America highlights the fact that children of immigrants and refugees currently account for one in four U.S. children under the age of 6. The author stresses that having more immigrant early educators can help mitigate child care barriers facing immigrant families and children, such as language barriers.
Up to $500 for Ohio families for afterschool enrichment
Last week, Gov. DeWine created a program through executive order that will provide families with savings accounts to be used toward afterschool enrichment for eligible students (those ages 6 to 18 whose families are within 300% of the federal poverty level). The program will be funded from federal CARES money at $50 million for the current year, and $75 million next year.
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Build Back Better
Pres. Biden’s $1.75 trillion federal proposal is continuing to be refined. Last week, paid family leave was removed from the package, but was added back in as of a day ago. The bill is still not final, but these articles are helpful in explaining the current status of the legislation as well as the larger discussion of its historic context.
Cleveland.com describes the child-care crisis as a unique threat to the health-care industry. On the same topic – the “crisis” - Newsweek underscores the long-term economic impacts it will have. So does this AP News article.
This article offers a succinct overview of research illustrating how Pres. Biden’s investments in the care industry can have positive macroeconomic effects.
Not the kind of headline we enjoy reading, but this piece (“Working mothers are burning out”) shares worrisome survey stats and research from two professors – including one from OSU. (Their research was also shared in the Wall Street Journal, which has a paywall.)
Beyond the Buckeye State
Children’s Funding Project has four case studies focused on local ballot measures that passed in communities across the country in 2020. The case studies showcase successful campaigns which created pre-K programs in Multnomah County, Oregon; reauthorized one in San Antonio, Texas; and created Children’s Services Councils in Escambia County and Leon County in Florida.
On a related note, Children’s Funding Project commissioned a poll to gauge voter willingness to increase taxes to fund programs and services to support the development of children. The poll and a meta-analysis of more than 60 state, local, and national surveys found that 70% of respondents were willing to raise their taxes by $25 per year and 64% by $150 per year to support such programs.
Alabama has created its first apprenticeship for early childhood educators which aims to increase the number of qualified early childhood educators in the field by offering on-the-job learning for apprentices, as well as allowing them to pursue credentials from a higher education institution.
Research Round Up
Hechinger Report describes a new book by an auditory neuroscientist grounded in research that suggests music for children can have other positive learning effects on their brains. It describes one research study that found instrument lessons for second graders in Los Angeles led to significant gains in reading and sound processing scores. It also outlines another study of high schoolers in Chicago that found advantages in verbal tests and other brain measures for those who had consistent music lessons.
Also from Hechinger Report is a thorough review of research on “high-dosage” tutoring, and the circumstances under which it does - and doesn’t - tend to have positive impacts on student learning. “In effective math programs, for example, tutors don’t simply reteach the previous year’s lessons. Instead, tutors know what is being taught in the students’ regular classes that week and give their students extra practice on those topics or review prerequisite concepts.”
This edition written by: Jamie O'Leary, Associate Director of Policy and Caitlin Lennon, Communications & Policy Specialist
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