The physical spaces that where our youngest learners are cared for and educated need to be safe and developmentally appropriate in order to provide a healthy foundation for children’s success. The Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) released a new report highlighting the need for improved information about the state of, and additional funding for, early learning facilities.
The importance of physical factors at early learning centers extends to the potentially damaging effects of hazards such as lead and mold. BPC’s report found that despite children being susceptible to the negative effects of environmental factors there is little standardized data available. The data that is available is often piecemeal. For instance, one investigation in 10 states found that 96% of child care facilities had one or more potentially hazardous condition.
In order to best support early learning facilities to make improvements, BPC suggests that improvements will require a multi-sector, multi-level approach. Government at the local, state, and federal level will need to invest in solutions and partner with the philanthropic and business sector, as well as the faith community, to make meaningful progress in ensuring that all child have access to a safe and developmentally appropriate early learning environment.
You can read the full report here.