Transform America's Education System: Embrace Early Learning
Research shows that education investments in the earliest years of life make the greatest difference in the educational outcomes of children. America has an opportunity to provide children with high-quality instruction throughout the earliest years of their schooling by making changes at the local, state and federal levels. These reforms would lead to significant improvements in the educational outcomes of our students, citizens and future workforce.
As the Obama Administration and Congress consider how to revamp education policy, the New America Foundation's Education Policy Program and Next Social Contract Initiative joined in March, 2010 to release a paper that argues for a fundamental rethinking of public policy related to children's primary years in education, starting at age three and reaching up through the third grade. The event included a lively conversation about education reform. Watch a 15 minute overview from Lisa Guernsey, the Director of the NAF Early Education Initiative.
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Source: New America Foundation: The Next Social Contract for the Primary Years of Education
Sites we like:
BUILD helps state leaders prepare young children aged birth to five to succeed by helping their families access high quality early learning, family and parenting support, early intervention for children with special needs and comprehensive health, mental health and nutritional services. BUILD assists states in planning and implementing a comprehensive early childhood “system of systems” that crosses policy domains and helps ensure that families get the services they need. Ultimately, BUILD serves as a catalyst for change and a national resource on early childhood development and policy.
Alliance for Early Childhood Finance
The Alliance for Early Childhood Finance is committed to ensuring that all American children have access to high-quality early care and education services and the supports their families need to thrive as parents and workers. The Alliance was established to address the need for deeper, more comprehensive and sophisticated exploration of ECE finance. We seek to lead a national conversation, and to engage a wide range of stakeholders from government, business, philanthropy, as well as among the provider community and the families they serve.
The Alliance for Early Childhood Finance takes a broad view. We do not believe in a single “best” funding stream or program model. Our view is that ECE can – and should – tap a wide range of funds from many sources and that funds should flow to both programs (via grants or contracts) as well as to families (via portable subsidy in the form of vouchers, certificates or tax benefits.) We do not see these two forms of financial assistance as mutually exclusive; in fact, we propose that they be combined, similar to how higher education, low-income housing, transportation, and other public goods in the U.S. are financed.
National Center on Parent, Family and Community Engagement
The National Center on Parent, Family, and Community Engagement will identify, develop and disseminate evidence-based best practices associated with the development of young children and the strengthening of families and communities. The Center will create culturally and linguistically relevant training and tools for implementing comprehensive, systemic, and integrated approaches to parent, family and community engagement in Head Start and Early Head Start
Progressive States Network: Excellent Child Care (in association with MomsRising.Org)
A menu of model state legislation (most of which has passed in at least one state) as well as guidelines for state legislators and advocates relating to excellent child care programs that can be tailored for use in their own states.
