Learn more about the Early Head Start Partnership Program housed at OSU in their latest annual report.
|
|
"Even before the current COVID-19 crisis, early care and education providers faced challenges attracting and retaining well-trained, qualified early educators who reflect the racial, ethnic, and linguistic diversity of the children being served. This deficit of well-trained teachers and staff undermines the ability of early care and education providers to support working families and children’s learning and development. Inadequate compensation; demanding, often stressful working conditions; and limited opportunities for education and professional development imperil the stability of the early care and education workforce, which already had high rates of stress, burnout, and turnover that are exacerbated by the pandemic. Innovations at state, local, and provider levels are emerging to meet these challenges. More evidence is needed to understand the effectiveness of these approaches, but many appear promising."
|
|
|
|
According to March of Dimes 2020 Ohio report card, the preterm birth rate among Black women is 48% higher than the rate among all other women. Ohio recieved a D+ overall on preterm birth.
|
|
|
Foster care/children’s services
The Dispatch editorializes about Ohio’s need to do right by foster children, based on a recent report and set of recommendations from the state’s Children Services Transformation Advisory Council. (Among the group’s 37 recommendations were specific suggestions to address racial injustice and implicit bias.) Gov. DeWine has signaled his commitment to children’s services and foster care by highlighting the report in a news conference and asking state lawmakers to prioritize it in future budget cycles.
Meanwhile, Policy Matters published a report on what Ohio can do to improve funding for kinship care.
|
|
School funding
Ohio lawmakers are down to the wire on a proposed overhaul of school funding, with just a few weeks left before the close of the 133rd General Assembly session. (The 134th will start in the new year.) The House bill, which passed with a strong majority and represents a culmination of months, if not years, of work, will likely not make it through the Senate, members of which have suggested that the price tag is off and that there needs to be more time to flesh out details.
On a related note, here are two good reads from the 74 Million about school funding and the likely grim budget scenarios facing states.
|
|
Lead safety
Here are two important reads about lead exposure from a national perspective. The first outlines the extent of the problem facing U.S. households and schools, as well as emerging lead testing technologies and a federal proposal to fund research and testing. The second article discusses lead safety as part of overall building/infrastructure improvements that are much needed in K-12 schools.
|
|
Colorado’s child care providers are set to receive state money via grants to help them remain open. The state legislature gave initial approval for the $45 million measure last week, and are looking to prioritize aid to centers in the state’s child care deserts.
California unveiled a 10-year plan to reshape early childhood care and education last week. The authors of the plan estimate it would require between $2 and $12 billion to implement. Among the recommendations are to: expand access to child care and preschool for all 4-year-olds and low-income 3-year-olds to promote school readiness, increase access to paid family leave, and to promote better quality child care and preschool and a more stable workforce.
|
|
The Ohio Department of Education has published a resource guide for families and caregivers, intended to support anyone caring for children. It offers tips and materials for maintaining positive connections to schools, engaging children in remote learning, and connecting to community resources.
The Bipartisan Policy Center is hosting a virtual fireside chat and panel discussion on working families, paid family leave, and caregiving – next Wednesday, December 16 at 2pm. Register here.
|
|
A new report from nonprofit NWEA suggests the switch to online learning due to the pandemic “has had little impact on children's reading growth and has only somewhat slowed gains in math.” The review examines national test data from 4.4 million U.S. children from grades 3-8. Of note, however: “Many of the nation's most vulnerable students are missing from the data.”
Here’s a quick read on First Lady Fran DeWine’s efforts to continue expanding Ohio’s Imagination Library program.
The Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP) shares its recommendations on child care and early learning, as presented to the Biden-Harris transition team.
|
|
This article highlights common concerns regarding screen time for children, as well as a round-up of research perspectives on the matter. If you’re interested to learn more in this area, the Crane Center has several resources on the topic and an in-house expert (Dr. Rebecca Dore) who studies children’s media use.
This brief from MDRC summarizes ways in which preschool curriculum can be effectively improved and implemented. It includes several case-study examples and “lessons from the field.”
|
|
This edition written by: Jamie Davies O'Leary, Associate Director of Policy and Caitlin Lennon, Communications & Policy Specialist |
|
|
|
|
|
|
