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A professor at Ohio State Newark opened a clinic offering free dyslexia screenings for children and adults.

QUOTABLE & NOTABLE

“When we ask ‘why’ Black pregnant people are experiencing such stark inequities [in maternal and child health care] and thoroughly investigate the problem, we move away from ‘mother blame’ — which focuses on individual health behaviors or conditions, appearances, personalities, or beliefs that Black women make poor health decisions. Instead, we address the root cause: the systemic inequities that prevent Black pregnant people, their children, and their communities from living healthy thriving lives.”

Who:

Julia Craven

Where:

The U.S. Black Maternal and Child Health Crisis is Centuries in the Making” published by New America's Better Life Lab

FACT OF THE WEEK

49-point-5

Black birthing people experience more than double the rate of maternal mortality than their white peers — at 49.5 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2022, compared to 19.0 deaths per 100,000 live births for white birthing people. The history of inequity in Black maternal and child health care, from enslavement to medical malpractice, is detailed in this candid report from Julia Craven at New America’s Better Life Lab. The author outlines a path forward that could improve outcomes for Black parents and their children, including expanding access to Medicare, promoting doula care, finding ways to increase the numbers of Black medical providers practicing pre- and post-partum care, and training medical providers on bias and cultural competence.

POLICY RADAR

Nutrition

The Columbus Dispatch outlines the state of free school lunch access in Ohio, available for families making up to 185% of the federal poverty level (which is $57,720 annually for a family of four). But data from Children’s Defense Fund Ohio shows that over 400,000 Ohio children face hunger and food insecurity, and as many as one-third of those who are food insecure do not qualify for school meals. Advocates are calling for Ohio to invest more funding in free school meals, as eight other states have done, to reinstate free lunch programs that were expanded during the pandemic.

Presidential race 

Vice President and Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris has made several efforts to expand policies that support early care and education, including lowering the cost of child care through the Child Care and Development Block Grant. New America summarizes Harris’ stance on early childcare, including statements on a future where “every person has access to paid family leave and affordable child care.”


On a related note, Hechinger Report outlines what education could look like under Harris and Walz.” The piece outlines the Democrats likely positions on various aspects of education, starting with child care and pre-K, and also examining K-12 education, higher education, special education, student mental health, and more. 

 

Meanwhile, Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance has gone on record saying he supports a Child Tax Credit that would be $5,000 per child, as shared by Real Clear Politics. In the piece, Vance also suggests the need for child care policy to acknowledge the role of grandparents. In an interview with CBS Face the Nation, Vance said, “I don't want us to favor one family model over another. If you've got grandparents who are at home taking care of the kids, I think they deserve to be treated … the same way as other family models by their government.”

Child Tax Credit 

The proposed expansion of the federal Child Tax Credit, included in the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act of 2024, failed in the U.S. Senate late last month. Newsweek describes the political context around the bill and reasons for optimism that family-friendly tax reforms are still possible.

NEW FROM CRANE

A new research brief from Crane discusses racial disparities related to Black boys facing suspension more often than their peers, shares findings from a research study on this topic, and offers suggestions for researchers and policymakers.

BEYOND THE BUCKEYE STATE

A school district in Virginia provides affordable preschool-aged care for children of teachers and staff, a “creative solution to address teacher recruitment and retention challenges” according to the district’s superintendent.

A brief published by the federal Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation highlights three state examples of engaging and integrating family perspectives into early child care and education initiatives (Missouri, Nevada, and Washington).

NPR’s The Indicator from Planet Money podcast discusses the rising costs of liability insurance for child care providers. One provider comments that their child care business’s insurance premiums rose 94% in the last year. This increase strains already tight child care operating budgets. Legislators in Montana are considering ideas to help child care providers in the state keep insurance costs down.

WHAT WE'RE READING

Early childhood professor Dr. Hae Min Yu from Lewis University describes her experience with a public school district labeling her bilingual preschooler as “at-risk.” She challenges the deficit thinking in labelling children learning multiple languages as a problem.

An article published in Ohio Capital Journal recaps a recent panel discussion among child care advocates hosted by the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland. Panelists discussed the challenges of stabilizing the workforce, employer-based child care, and the broad economic impacts that are felt with insufficient access to child care. Citing economic estimates from neighboring states (Michigan, Pennsylvania), president of advocacy group Starting Point Nancy Mendez suggested an economic loss to the state as great as $2 billion.

RESEARCH ROUNDUP

A new study from Michigan State University and the University of Colorado Denver describes the qualitative experiences of families who have had their children suspended or expelled from preschool. Previous research has established that preschoolers are suspended and expelled at a higher rate than K-12 students. Black and Latino children, especially those with disabilities, are suspended or expelled more often than their white peers, possibly due to bias and/or teachers struggling to manage challenging behaviors in the classroom. To understand the effect that suspension/expulsion has on children’s families, researchers interviewed 20 caregivers who had a child suspended or expelled. Several themes emerged throughout the interviews including lack of communication from the preschool which led to confusion about the child’s behavior at school, perceptions of racial profiling of families, and feelings of emotional distress and shame when their child was suspended or expelled. The authors encourage preschool programs to consider using teacher coaching to help teachers address challenging behaviors in the classroom, rather than suspension or expulsion.

This edition was written by Jamie OLeary and Janelle Williamson.

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