Early Education Clips for Week of August 18-22

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

TOP STORY

Republicans Embracing Early Childhood Education An in-depth feature in Politico highlights the shift of GOP elected officials and candidates toward policies to fund early childhood education as well as efforts to pass the Early Childhood Education bill in Congress. FFYF Executive Director Kris Perry is quoted and the story includes quotes from Republican strategist Kevin Madden and former Obama campaign manager Jim Messina, who spoke at the FFYF poll release in Washington last month.

Read More:

All Policy is Local: The GOP’s New Take on Pre-K – Politico

OTHER NATIONAL NEWS

Academic Expectations Rising for Nation’s Kindergarteners Public schools, under pressure to raise test scores, are raising academic expectations for children enrolled in Kindergarten. FFYF Executive Director Kris Perry is quoted on the need for investments in early childhood education across the board to ensure that all children come to Kindergarten ready to learn. Read More at Lancaster Newspapers.

Nation’s Most Vulnerable Children Need Preschool Sara Neufeld of The Hechinger Report reports on rising child poverty and the need for high-quality early childhood education to prevent the widening of the achievement gap for children in low-income families. Read More at Huffington Post.

FROM THE STATES

TEXAS: Early Childhood Education Key to Fighting Poverty in Dallas Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings’ Poverty Task Force made recommendations to the City Council this week on ways to combat the widening income gap. Promoting Early Childhood Education was one of the immediate solutions presented by the Task Force. Read More.

PENNSYLVANIA: Early Learning Advocates Make Case for Preschool Across State Local leaders in Pennsylvania, including Bucks County Commissioner Rob Loughery, made a statewide push to raise awareness of the need for quality, affordable early childhood education. Read More.

VERMONT: Research shows that Pre-K is a “Prudent Educational Investment, Especially for Students in Poverty” The Manchester Journal features an in-depth look at Pre-K in Vermont. Read More.

NEBRASKA: Better Teacher Training, More Help for Parents Needed A panel of educators shared strategies for improving Early Childhood Education at a United Way of the Midlands forum. Read More.