The Conversation has a fascinating read about the history behind 19th-century “hidden mother” photographs and the meanings we project onto them.

QUOTABLE & NOTABLE

FACT OF THE WEEK

A new report from RAND finds that 25% of middle and high school English Language Arts teachers report frequently engaging their students in phonological awareness-related activities. As summarized by Education Week, this implies that middle and high school teachers are teaching fundamental skills that are being missed in earlier grades.

Child care 

This week on the National Day Without Child Care, over 1,000 providers across the U.S. closed to raise awareness about the needs facing the early childhood sector and the professionals working within in. In Ohio, providers and children demonstrated at the Statehouse as part of the Care Economy Organizing Project to call for investments and policy changes. You can read more about Ohio’s event here and here. 

Ohio Capital Journal reports on the experience of Ohio legislators who are mothers, and the costs of — and need for — child care while running a campaign or serving in the legislature.

Environmental health 

Child care providers in Cleveland can apply for a grant funded through the Cleveland Clinic to find and remove lead hazards. Cleveland.com describes the initiative and the hazards of lead exposure and poisoning.

NAEYC is surveying early childhood faculty and administrators on the ECE higher education landscape.

New America describes models of collaborative governance or “co-governance” around the US that “shift power back to ordinary people.” One such effort in Montrose, Colorado, was a pilot citizens’ assembly that brought together elected officials, community organizations, and grassroots leaders to discuss pressing issues in the community and how best to tackle them. The Montrose community identified child care as a top priority and made the goal that, “Every parent and guardian in Montrose shall have dependable access to safe, affordable, and enriching child care so they can work, attend school, or otherwise contribute to our community.”

Also in Colorado, state lawmakers are moving forward a bill that would create a new family tax credit — layered on top of the state’s existing child tax credit — to increase the amount for eligible families in years that the state budget is running a surplus.

The Center for the Study of Child Care Employment at the University of California, Berkeley published a case study on New Mexico that outlines state efforts to improve early childhood educator compensation. While the authors point out that “the state’s recent initiatives do not yet amount to sustained, transformative changes to compensation,” the report provides useful context on the necessary elements for success, such as educator-led organizing and identifying a long-term funding source.

WHAT WE'RE READING

A research brief published by the federal Administration for Children and Families describes in layperson’s language what we mean by access in early childhood education (ECE), access to pre-K (one type of ECE), and ongoing research needs related to accessing ECE.

The Hechinger Report summarizes research on the importance for kindergartners to be exposed to challenging math concepts and describes what a high-quality math curriculum can look like for kindergartners that goes beyond counting and basic shapes. A report from the National Academies of Science found that early math curriculum too often makes “the teaching of mathematics secondary to other learning goals.”

This edition was written by Jamie O’Leary and Janelle Williamson.

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