Early Education Clips for Week of February 2 – 6
Here’s a sampling of early childhood education in the news this week:
TOP STORY
President’s Budget Includes Comprehensive Early Childhood Education Plan On Monday, President Obama released his fiscal year 2016 budget, which includes significant investments to expand and enhance early childhood education. The proposed budget would increase funding for pre-kindergarten, the Preschool Development Grants program, the Child Care Development Fund, Head Start, Early Head Start-Child Care Partnerships and evidence-based voluntary home visiting programs. The budget also includes an expansion of the Child and Dependent Care tax credit from $1,000 to $3,000 per child, per year.
Read More:
White House Budget Proposal Continues Early-Childhood Efforts – Education Week
Nonprofits and Government Agencies React to Obama’s Proposed Budget – The Chronicle of Philanthropy
Why Conservatives Should Get Behind Obama’s Push for Universal Pre-K – Washington Post
Obama’s Budget Puts Historic Focus on Child Care and Working Families – Al Jazeera America
OTHER NATIONAL NEWS
Advocates Press Congress to Renew Funding for Federal Home Visiting Program Funding for the Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program (MIECHV) is set to expire on March 31, 2015. Citing the success of this evidence-based, voluntary program advocates are making a strong push for renewal before the deadline. Read More at Education Week.
State-Funded Pre-Kindergarten Lowers Special Education Placements A new study from Duke University finds that four year olds who participate in state-funded pre-kindergarten programs were 32 percent less likely to be in a special education program by the third grade. Read More at NPR.
New Study: Closing Academic Achievement Gap Would Improve Economy The Washington Center for Equitable Growth just released the results of a study that finds that eliminating education inequality would boost the nation’s economy. Factors that the study found would cut the achievement gap include expanding early childhood education opportunities. Read More at the New York Times.
Home Visiting Programs Featured in New Documentary Series Home visiting programs for young West Virginia children and their families were examined in the “Breaking the Cycle of Poverty” episode of the new PBS documentary series A Path Appears which features actress and advocate Jennifer Garner and New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof. Watch Video at PBS.
Military Commission Calls for Improved Access to Child Care The Military Compensation and Retirement Modernization Commission has recommended that Congress give the U.S. Defense Department more flexibility to build or expand military child care centers, especially for children ages zero to three. Read More at Military Times.
FROM THE STATES
IOWA: Bill to Increase Preschool Funding Advances in State Senate A State Senate subcommittee approved legislation to expand the Iowa Statewide Voluntary Preschool Program. Read More.
KENTUCKY: Editorial Calls for More Early Learning Opportunities Following the announcement last week that only half of Kentucky kindergarteners enter school prepared to learn, the Louisville Courier-Journal Editorial Board calls for more early childhood development in the state. The editorial highlights several efforts now underway across the country to prepare children for kindergarten. Read More.
VIRGINIA: Senator Kaine Visits Pre-Kindergarten Classes, Calls for Additional Federal Investments U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) visited pre-kindergarten classes in Caroline County and promoted legislation he has sponsored in the Senate to create or expand pre-kindergarten programs. Read More.
ILLINOIS: New Governor Calls for Increased Funding for Early Childhood Education In his first State of the State address, Illinois’ Republican Governor Bruce Rauner said that increases in early childhood education should be a top priority. Read More.
INDIANA: Bills in House and Senate Would Expand Child Care Support Legislation has been introduced in the Indiana State House and Senate that would expand the number of families who qualify for federally-funded Child Care and Development Fund vouchers. Read More.
WISCONSIN: Police Chiefs Urge Congress to Extend Home Visiting Milwaukee Chief of Police Edward Flynn and Janesville Police Chief David Moore held a news conference calling on Congress to extend funding for the Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program (MIECHV) before it expires next month. Since 2010, Wisconsin has received more than $27 million in federal funding through the MIECHV program. Read More.