Here’s an interesting look at how one Ohio elementary school dramatically improved student reading scores through a pilot literacy program and a close examination of instructional practices. 

Quotable & Notable

Fact of the Week

According to the Annie E. Casey Foundation only 1 in 4 single mothers receive child support – a crucial source of income for mothers to support their child’s needs and achieve economic stability.  

Policy Radar

Ohio cities

Toledo’s City Council has approved $1 million in funds to continue pre-K expansion through the HOPE Toledo program.

Columbus City Council President Pro Tem Rob Dorans sponsored an ordinance to support a program that provides childhood lead testing and follow up services. 

State legislation

A bill to make certain baby-related items (e.g., diapers, cribs, baby monitors) exempt from sales taxes has received new hearings in the Ohio House. This article describes how the exemption could help Ohio families, but also quantifies the losses it would bring to state and county revenues.

Ohio budget

As the state’s biennial budget makes its way through the Senate, Gov. DeWine and advocates are hoping that lawmakers in the upper chamber restore $150 million from the governor’s original budget proposal to go toward child care scholarships for workers in critical occupations. 

New from Crane

A new research brief led by Dr. Laura Cutler explores how the organization of preschool classrooms can impact the acquisition of early language skills. Read more here. 

Beyond the Buckeye State

New Mexico has garnered headlines for being a leader in the prioritization of early childhood investments. The state’s latest effort is to try to make permanent the expansions in child care assistance eligibility as well as reimbursement rates for providers. These were made possible through one-time federal relief funds, but New Mexico’s oil and gas trust may be able to help sustain the expansions.

Also in New Mexico, the state-funded pre-K program is set to receive a serious funding boost that would expand access by nearly 40%. 

Center for American Progress describes efforts by five states to expand free school meals, highlighting the administrative burdens and other barriers inherent to paid school meal programs at a time when children and families are experiencing increased hunger and food insecurity. Meanwhile in Ohio, lawmakers are looking to increase funding for the state’s school meal program, but it may not be enough to serve all families in need – particularly those just above the current threshold (185% of FPL). 

What We're Reading

As part of its Rethinking Child Care series, Cleveland.com shares one woman’s story about how the lack of reliable, affordable child care resulted in her losing her job.

A new report from NIEER reveals that participation in early intervention services dropped dramatically (15%-16%) during the pandemic, with serious inequities in access to those services. Children with disabilities living in lower-income states as well as children who are Black, Latino/Hispanic and Asian were less likely to access early intervention services. K-12 Dive comments that these children are entering kindergarten without the resources that they need to thrive. The K-12 landscape is also experiencing shortages of intervention specialists – meaning that even more children may not receive the specialized education that they need to succeed. The NIEER report calls on increased funding and attention to the area of special education and intervention services.  

This edition written by: Jamie O'Leary and Janelle Williamson

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