Early Education Clips for Week of September 22-26

Here’s a sampling of early childhood education in the news this week:

TOP STORY

New North Carolina Poll Finds Early Childhood Education a Critical Issue for State Voters On Monday, FFYF released a bipartisan state poll showing North Carolinians’ strong support for investments in the state’s early childhood programs – including expanding access to Smart Start, Pre-K, teacher training and home visiting. As with the FFYF national poll released in July, majorities of North Carolina Republicans, Independents and Democrats say that more needs to be done to ensure all children enter kindergarten ready to learn.

Read More:

New Preschoool Poll Shows Voters in North Carolina Ready to Invest in Early Education – Education Week

Poll: Voters Support Early Childhood Programs – The News & Observer (Raleigh, NC)

OTHER NATIONAL NEWS

More Hispanic Children Enrolled in Early Childhood Education Programs A new report by Child Trends examining educational data for the nation’s Hispanic children and teenagers finds a jump from 39 percent of preschool-aged children enrolled in early childhood programs in 2007 to 52 percent in 2012. Read more at the Washington Post.

States Using Race to the Top Funds to Improve Early Learning The six states that were awarded 2013 Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge Grants are implementing their plans to provide a more comprehensive and coordinated Pre-K-3rd grade experience for students. Georgia, Kentucky, Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Vermont are using their grants to help ensure early learning gains are maximized beyond the 3rd grade. Read more at EdCentral.

New Study Details Growing Child Care Costs for Middle Class The Center for American Progress released a new report on the “middle class squeeze” – including rising costs of child care. For a family of four, weekly child care costs have gone up an average of 37 percent over the last 12 years. Read more by the Associated Press.

FROM THE STATES

KENTUCKY: Congressman Urges Increased Federal Funding for Early Childhood Education This week, U.S. Rep. John Yarmuth (D – Louisville) expressed his support for more federal resources for early learning programs in the states. Read More.

CALIFORNIA: Missed Opportunity for Universal Pre-K LA Daily News columnist Joe Mathews says the state has missed an opportunity to make investments in public Pre-K and it will be more difficult to expand access to the program to all California 4-year-olds. Read More.

MISSOURI: Kansas City Business Leaders Push Early Childhood Education Opportunities The Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce has included Early Childhood Education as one of its “Big 5” goals for the region. The Chamber wants every child in the Kansas City area to enter kindergarten with the skills they need. Read More.