A team of education experts created the Joy Lives Here Kit – a set of activity cards that encourages joyful interactions between children and their caregivers. | |
“What I mean by that is that for the better part of 100 years, we have had a policy in place — one that has really created services that are designed to support parental employment more than they are designed to support the optimal development of young children. The central thesis of the book is that we have fooled ourselves into thinking that there is this thing called day care, or child care, that is separate and distinct from education... This artificial distinction between care and education is really what I’m talking about … We have conceptualized child care as almost like a holding facility, right? We’re thinking about very custodial forms of care, and that translates, in many cases, into policy. We have states that are proposing, for example, as a solution to the financial crisis that the child care industry finds itself in, deregulating in ways that sort of strip away any requirement other than those that just entail the very basic health and safety of those kids. And that is a very low bar, and, frankly, a dangerous bar, and one that frankly, we end up paying for in the long term.” | | |
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The University of Akron and local YMCAs are partnering to provide the Childcare Assistance Program for college students who are parents. The program will provide eligible students with up to $3,000 per semester towards child care costs. (On a related note, New America outlines data on the needs of student parents in this piece.) | |
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Ohio
The Columbus Dispatch describes the state’s recent $30 million investment – via funding through its biennial budget – in a new women’s and children’s hospital in southeast Ohio.
Federal
Vox offers a thoughtful take on what a possible Harris Administration could do differently than the Biden Administration to get a care agenda passed through Congress.
A measure that would provide up to $150,000 in tax credits to employers who help employees pay for child care has been proposed by a bipartisan group of U.S. Senators.
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The Prenatal-to-3 Policy Impact Center at Vanderbilt University is hosting “The Fifth Annual Prenatal-to-3 Research to Policy Summit” on Tuesday, October 22 at 2 p.m. ET. The event will share the latest research on prenatal-to-3 policy and insight on advancing policies for young children and their families in 2025.
The Big Ten Early Learning Alliance is hosting a panel discussion on “The State of ECE Data in Big Ten States” on Wednesday, October 23, from 12 - 1 p.m. ET.
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Florida’s Department of Education established new guidelines that children will receive pre- and post-testing to assess gains made over the preschool year. Previous guidelines assessed children using a “readiness” test in kindergarten, which was also used to measure the quality of preschools the children attended. However, preschool teachers and administrators expressed that this method of assessing preschool quality penalized preschools for serving students that were struggling. The new system will assess quality using the kindergarten readiness assessment but will also look at academic gains throughout the preschool year, and teacher-child interactions during site visits.
Content warning: Violence/terrorism in the article intro. In this long-form article published by Hechinger Report, Jackie Mader describes her time in Norway learning about its early childhood programs and observing the stark differences with the U.S. One such difference, beyond Norway’s focus on nature and outdoor play and clear respect for teacher expertise, is that its “government’s view isn’t that child care is a place to put children so parents can work, or even to prepare children for the rigors of elementary school. It’s about protecting childhood.” Even so, more Norwegians are in the labor force than Americans, no doubt supported by its strong early childhood system. But it was clear – at least among those interviewed for the piece – that Norwegians view the promise of early childhood education as about building inclusion, diminishing social inequities, and building character rather than primarily about the role of strengthening the workforce and economy.
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The Inspire podcast at Ohio State’s College of Education and Human Ecology discusses the “Baby Bust” - the decline in birth rates in the United States over the last 15 years. Host Robin Chenoweth interviewed two in-house population scientists who offer insight on why the birth rate may be declining, and the opportunities and challenges that come with it. | Center for American Progress describes the impact of climate change-induced extreme heat and its negative impact on maternal health, and offers policy recommendations for local, state, and federal policy makers. | |
The National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) published a brief examining state policies related to outdoor time for preschoolers. For instance, it breaks down the percentage of states that have regulations for outdoor time (42%), those that have guidance but not requirements (17%), and those with neither (41%). Among several suggestions, the authors recommend that states consider ways to ensure children are getting adequate outdoor time. | |
A new study published in Infant Mental Health Journal examined the emotional experiences of fathers with low incomes. Researchers conducted interviews with 24 fathers asking them about their emotions during their partner’s pregnancy and their child’s early years. Several themes arose from the interviews. First, most of the fathers discussed the joys of experiencing the birth and growth of their child. Second, almost half of the fathers described financial and employment struggles during their child’s early years. Black fathers also described the frustration that comes with seeing how Black fathers are portrayed in society. The third theme that arose is that fathers who experienced stereotypes based on their income or race used this negativity to push themselves to be better fathers. The study authors conclude that fathers experiencing low income are emotionally resilient, yet more could be done to support them by providing them with coping strategies and support networks. Dr. Joyce Lee, lead author and assistant professor at Ohio State’s College of Social Work states, “As a society, we need to push back against the negative and incorrect stereotypes of fathers with low income. They deserve our support as they try to be the best parents they can be for their children.” | |
This edition was written by Jamie O’Leary and Janelle Williamson.
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