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Child Care and Early Education Research Update

Past Issues - 2008

June Update
May Update
April Update
March Update
February Update
January Update

June Update


TWO NEW REPORTS FROM THE URBAN INSTITUTE

The Urban Institute released two new reports about providers’ experiences in the child care voucher system. The first relates the experiences of center-based and family child care providers receiving child care vouchers through the Child Care and Development Block Grant program in five different counties in Alabama, California, New Jersey, and Washington. Child care vouchers play an important role in supporting not only low-income working families, but the providers who care for low-income children as well. Providers reported that vouchers are a source of reliable income, allow providers to serve low-income families in need of their services, and support the availability of care in low-income neighborhoods. In addition to the benefits of vouchers, child care providers identified some challenging aspects.  Generally, providers identified voucher payment rates as inadequate. Twenty-four to 59 percent of respondents in the various counties reported that they were paid less for children with vouchers than they were for private-pay children. In some cases, providers reported that they received less payment due to policies that did not allow reimbursement for absent days or due to changes in parents’ authorization status for child care assistance. Some providers had concerns regarding the timing of payments, accuracy of payments, and practices for resolving payment disputes. The report concludes with a set of state policy strategies to address the challenges identified by providers in the following areas:

  • Ensure payment levels are equal to private-pay payments;
  • Minimize loss of revenue due to family eligibility changes;
  • Minimize provider risk during the initial authorization process;
  • Minimize provider risk when vouchers are terminated for a child;
  • Improve payment timing and minimize payment delays;
  • Improve working relationships with voucher agencies; and
  • Assist providers in delivering additional supports to parents and children who receive vouchers, including compensating providers for additional costs incurred for supporting family needs beyond child care or helping providers access family support services.

The second report relates the experiences of family, friend, and neighbor (FFN) caregivers or unregulated providers who receive child care vouchers in three counties in California and New Jersey. Most of the FFN caregivers who participated in focus groups for the study were relative caregivers and cared for 2.4 children, on average. Providers differed in the reasons they reported giving care, which included to help the parent and to stay at home with their own children. Some FFN providers reported an interest in getting licensed. Providers reported that vouchers provided an important source of income, while several also noted that the payment could be irregular or unreliable. Several providers use the voucher payment to pay for materials for the children in their care, such as diapers, food, and other items. FFN providers reported generally the same voucher payment process challenges as licensed providers, including the timing of payments and paperwork requirements.


NEW REPORT LOOKS AT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN EARLY CHILDHOOD

A new report from the National Professional Development Center on Inclusion (NPDCI) at Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute addresses the question: What Do We Mean by Professional Development in the Early Childhood Field? The report provides a common definition and conceptual framework that can be applied across the birth to age 8 field to guide professional development efforts to improve the quality of the early childhood workforce. Currently, the term “professional development” is used at the national, state, and local levels to refer to widely varying opportunities and approaches. The NPDCI definition and framework for professional development addresses the characteristics and contexts of learners (who is included in professional development), the content (what professional development should help professionals know and do) and the organization and facilitation of learning experiences (the approaches and methods professional development should include).  The conceptual framework is designed to be used in the creation, implementation, or evaluation of effective early childhood professional development systems. The report includes a useful bibliography of professional development resources.


WELL-BEING AMONG YOUNG CHILDREN HAS INCREASED

A new report from the Foundation for Child Development shows that the well-being of our youngest children improved from 1994 to 2006, according to a composite index of 28 quality of life indicators in the areas of health, educational attainment, economic well-being, safety and behavioral concerns, social relationships, community connectedness, and emotional-spiritual well-being, known as the Child Well-Being Index (CWI). Improvements in child well-being occurred among all age groups: early childhood (ages 0-5), middle childhood (ages 6-11), and adolescence (ages 12-17).

Many improvements in the early childhood years reflect positive outcomes from the implementation of public policies and education campaigns.  The CWI shows historically low levels of infant mortality (6.9 deaths per 1,000 live births), a dramatic 84 percent decrease in the share of children under 6 with elevated blood-lead levels classified as lead poisoning to just above 1 percent, and a 30 percent decrease in the number of children born to mothers who smoked during pregnancy.

Similarly, the CWI shows that more 3- and 4-year olds attend preschool or child care programs and more children attend full-day kindergarten, as compared to 1994. The percent of children enrolled in full-day kindergarten grew from 51 percent in 1995 to 65 percent in 2003, and was projected to continue climbing. Research shows that children who attend full-day kindergarten benefit from greater achievement in reading and mathematics.

The CWI offers two major areas of concern: an increase in the prevalence of low birth weight babies and increasing rates of obesity among young children. The report's author also notes that based on evidence from prior years, the current economic downturn is likely to hurt children. While data for the CWI is only available through 2006, it is likely that child well-being declined in 2007 and 2008 as families faced higher costs for food and energy and a weakening labor market.


A CASE STUDY OF THE MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF EARLY EDUCATION AND CARE

In 2005, Massachusetts created a new Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) that consolidated multiple agencies and funding streams into one department with a primary focus on early childhood education and care. While the EEC was created with a focus on implementing universal pre-kindergarten for all 3- and 4-year olds, it is responsible for early education and child care services for families with children from birth to age 14. Strategies for Children and the Rennie Center for Education Research and Policy have released A Case Study of the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care which provides an explanation of the history, successes, and political and logistical challenges of the creation and formation of the EEC. The case study reviews the challenges posed by the former system, such as grappling with multiple and sometimes duplicative funding streams, and explains how they were dealt with in the new department.  The report also highlights the role of individuals including advocates and members of the legislature, in moving the department forward. The report suggests a number of lessons learned for other states that may be thinking of creating new departments or consolidating agencies in a similar way. They include:

  • Identify strong legislative or executive champions;
  • Use research to make the case;
  • Build a strong coalition and engage stakeholders;
  • Analyze the current system’s strengths and weaknesses;
  • Create a long-term vision;
  • Make changes strategically and based on data;
  • Communicate;
  • Advocate for resources;
  • Seek out opportunities to work with others; and
  • Be patient and persistent.


INFANT-TODDLER EARLY LEARNING GUIDELINES

Researchers at the University of North Carolina Greensboro and Teachers College Columbia University have published a report and research brief both titled, “Inside the Content of Infant-Toddler Early Learning Guidelines: Results from Analyses, Issues to Consider, and Recommendations.” Early Learning Guidelines (ELGs) from 21 states that had published infant-toddler ELGs as of July, 2007 were reviewed. The research team developed a coding system for the ELGs’ content in five developmental domains: physical, social-emotional, language and communication, cognitive development, and approaches toward learning. Analysis of the ELGs determined that the first four of the developmental domains were addressed fairly evenly, but “approaches toward learning” was addressed less often than the others. States varied in whether they split the infant-toddler period from birth to 36 months or into smaller age brackets and what headings or subcategories they used to organize their infant-toddler ELGs.

Based on their review, the research team made four recommendations to states developing infant-toddler ELGs:

  • Use infant-toddler research and best practices to inform ELGs’ content.
  • Explicitly include ELGs for infants and toddlers from families who are culturally and linguistically diverse, including English Language Learners and dual language learners.
  • Ensure that infant-toddler ELGs reflect the unique learning and development of this age and are aligned to support continued learning at older ages, but are not a simplified or “back-mapped” set of ELGs for pre-kindergartners or older children.
  • Plan for professional development opportunities to accompany infant-toddler ELGs to increase their effective use by caregivers.


NEW GUIDE RELEASED TO HELP POLICYMAKERS USE PROGRAM EVALUATIONS

The National Forum on Early Childhood Program Evaluation, part of Harvard University’s Center on the Developing Child, has published, “Early Childhood Program Evaluations: A Decision-Maker’s Guide.” The guide is targeted to policymakers, to help them become better consumers of program evaluation data and reports on early childhood programs. The report examines five areas for policymakers to consider in evaluating a program, including the design of the evaluation, program implementation, effect sizes and impact, measuring costs and benefits, and understanding context and relevance of a program in a given community or state.

The guide also recommends that policymakers and decision-makers build relationships with researchers and local experts, who can answer further questions about program evaluation.


REPORT ON BEST PRACTICES AND ADVOCATES’ LESSONS ON INCREASING STATE EARLY CHILDHOOD INVESTMENT

In “Increasing State Investments in Early Care and Education: Lessons Learned from Advocates and Best Practices,” Voices for America’s Children profiles 10 states with recent success in expanding funding for early childhood: Alabama, Colorado, Missouri, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. Funding increases served children birth to age 5, for example through increasing child care subsidies, home visiting programs, and pre-kindergarten funding. Although the political climate and history of investment differed widely across these states, advocates and partners were able to capitalize on opportunities and build will to increase investment in early care and education. The report also discusses 13 lessons learned from looking across these states, including: create a focused agenda, build and sustain coalitions, build relationships with elected officials and the media, and create strategies for long-term success. Each lesson learned is paired with examples of how advocates successfully (or unsuccessfully) applied that principle to their goals for young children.


ESTIMATING THE PER-CHILD COSTS OF QUALITY PRE-KINDERGARTEN PROGRAMS

The Institute for Women’s Policy Research’s new report, “Meaningful Investments in Pre-K: Estimating the Per-Child Costs of Quality Programs,” calculates the nationwide average cost of pre-kindergarten for differing program quality and duration. These calculations look across settings where pre-kindergarten is delivered, including schools, centers, and Head Start programs. Certain quality factors are assumed of all pre-kindergarten programs, such as: one lead teacher and one assistant teacher with credentials in early childhood per class; facilities that are healthy, safe, regulated, and monitored; educational and developmental materials of high quality; and staff members that support parents and facilitate families accessing needed community resources.

Costs are then calculated for three potential class sizes and four levels of teacher qualifications, for a total of 12 potential combinations of these two variables that have been linked to quality. Class size options are 15, 17, and 20; with two teachers per classroom. The four levels of teacher qualifications are a Child Development Associate (CDA) credential, an Associate’s Degree, a Bachelor’s Degree teacher paid at typical pre-kindergarten wages, and a Bachelor’s Degree teacher paid at typical public-school kindergarten wages.

For example, the average hourly cost for a six-hour pre-kindergarten program ranges from $5.17/hour (with a class size of 20 and teacher with a CDA) to $8.18/hour (with a class size of 15 and a teacher with a Bachelor’s Degree paid at typical public-school kindergarten wages). The cost for a typical school year (185 days) would then range from $5,741 to $9,076. The report acknowledges that many families need full-day, full-year care, and it also provides estimates for programs that operate nine hours a day. Acknowledging that many pre-kindergarten programs are only half day, estimates are provided for programs that operate three hours a day as well.

In addition to examining the tradeoffs between cost, quality, and quantity of care, the paper also highlights research on the benefits of high-quality pre-kindergarten and profiles examples of publicly funded programs in North Carolina, New Jersey, and Tennessee.


WYOMING LOOKS AT CHILD CARE AND EARLY EDUCATION CAPACITY, DEMAND, AND QUALITY

The Wyoming Children’s Action Alliance has published a policy brief highlighting data from two reports by the state’s Department of Workforce Services. The brief, “Early Child Care and Education in Wyoming: Building Capacity, Aiming for Quality,” notes that approximately 48 percent of children in Wyoming ages 0-12 use or would use child care. But for these 40,293 children who need care, only 17,564 licensed child care slots exist. The shortage is greater for infants/toddlers under age 2 and school age children ages 6-12 than for children ages 2-5. Further, few care slots exist for extended hours care to meet the needs of parents who work shifts. The quality of center-based child care was found to be mostly poor for all age groups across six dimensions: safety and health, learning environment, scheduling, curriculum, interacting, and individualizing. The brief also reports on the quality of licensed family child care.

May Update

CLASP AND ZERO TO THREE RELEASE NEW REPORT ON STATE EARLY HEAD START INITIATIVES

A new report from CLASP and ZERO TO THREE, Building on the Promise: State Initiatives to Expand Access to Early Head Start for Young Children and Their Families, examines actions that 20 states have taken to build on Early Head Start (EHS). The federal EHS program was created to help minimize the disparities caused by poverty by supporting the healthy development of pregnant women and low-income infants and toddlers in the context of their families and communities. Yet, less than 3 percent of babies and toddlers who are eligible for EHS are reached at current federal funding levels.

CLASP and ZERO TO THREE conducted interviews with state leaders working to expand EHS services in their states. Although each approach to expanding services builds on the strengths of EHS, the details of state initiatives vary widely in scope. There were four main categories, with some states reporting multiple approaches:

  • Extending the day or year of existing EHS services,
  • Expanding the capacity of existing EHS and Head Start programs to increase the number of children and pregnant women served,
  • Providing resources and assistance to child care providers to help them deliver services meeting EHS standards, and
  • Supporting partnerships between EHS and center-based and family child care providers to improve the quality of care.

The report also analyzes opportunities and challenges facing state policymakers and concludes that state leaders interested in promoting better futures for at-risk children should build on Early Head Start. Specifically, recommendations include:

  • Provide sufficient funding to ensure stability and attract and retain high quality providers.
    Use EHS initiatives to partner with, and enhance quality of, child care for babies and toddlers.
  • Build in sufficient training, technical assistance, and monitoring to ensure federal Head Start Program Performance Standards for educational, health, nutrition, and family support services are met.
  • Cultivate champions inside and outside state government.
  • Ensure that data collection and evaluation are built into state policies.
  • Monitor new opportunities to build on EHS as federal reauthorization is implemented.

CHILD CARE BUREAU RELEASES NEW CHILD CARE SUBSIDY DATA

This month, the Child Care Bureau released Report to Congress for FY 2004 and 2005. The report provides the latest information about Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) expenditures and participation in those years as well as additional information about training and technical assistance, and child care-related research. The report contains administrative data that has not previously been released. Highlights of the data include the following:

  • Child care spending is historically high but has declined in recent years. Child care spending from all sources (including CCDBG, TANF, and SSBG-related funds) totaled $12.1 billion in 2004 and fell to $11.96 billion in 2005. According to the previous Report to Congress, spending reached a high of $12.2 billion in FY 2003. The decline between 2004 and 2005 was the result of decreased TANF-funds used for child care.
  • A total of 2.35 million children received child care assistance through all funding sources in 2004 and 2005. Approximately 1.75 million children were served in CCDBG in an average month in 2005. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services estimates that an additional 600,000 children were served through TANF and SSBG-related funds.
  • The number of children receiving child care from all sources is declining over time. The number of children served has fallen from a high of 2.45 million children served in 2000. In 2002 and 2003, approximately 2.44 million and 2.36 million children respectively received child care assistance in an average month.
  • CCDBG serves very low-income families. In 2005, the median monthly income of families receiving CCDBG-funded assistance was $1,283 or $15,396 when annualized. This is slightly higher than in previous years. Nearly half (49 percent) of all families receiving CCDBG-funded assistance had incomes below the federal poverty level (which was $16,090 for a family of three in 2005). Thirteen percent had incomes above 150 percent of poverty, or $24,135 in 2005.
  • States serve families well below the maximum eligibility level set by federal law. Nearly all (45) states set eligibility for CCDBG-funded assistance below 85 percent of State Median Income (SMI), the maximum level established by federal law. Eligibility levels in states range from 28 to 85 percent of SMI. On average, states report income eligibility to equal 59 percent of SMI, which is lower than the 62 percent of SMI reported in FY 2002-2003.

In addition to expenditure and participation data, the Report to Congress includes an overview of research activities supported by the Child Care Bureau in 2004 and 2005 and emerging findings from on-going research related to the effect of child care subsidies on positive employment outcomes, patterns of child care use, characteristics of families who receive subsidies, and characteristics of the child care workforce.

A LOOK AT SCHOOL READINESS IN TWO CALIFORNIA COUNTIES

A new report from the Santa Clara Partnership for School Readiness examines longitudinal data on school readiness and academic achievement in five high-needs school districts in San Mateo, California. San Mateo and Santa Clara counties have been collecting data on school readiness through kindergarten assessments since 2001 and 2004 respectively. Does Readiness Matter? provides information for these two communities on what skills at kindergarten entry best predict later academic achievement.

The report finds that children who are most “ready for kindergarten,” based on a range of developmental indicators in the areas of self-care and motor skills, self-regulation, social expression and kindergarten academics, exhibit higher performance on standardized English and math tests in third, fourth, and fifth grades compared to their peers who exhibit lower levels of readiness in kindergarten. Children who performed the best in third grade entered kindergarten with high levels of both academic readiness (such as letter recognition) and social expression (such as the ability to articulate wants and needs and eagerness for learning.)

Unfortunately, the report shows that gaps in school readiness, such as those between children of different ethnic/racial groups, remain in third grade and in some cases widen. For example, the gap between White and Asian students and Latino and Pacific Islander students widens as Whites and Asians out-perform their peers on standardized tests. English Language Learners overall enter kindergarten with lower levels of readiness and have poorer performance on standardized tests in third grade, resulting in a persisting gap between them and their English-proficient peers. The 28 percent of English Language Learners who entered kindergarten exhibiting the highest levels of readiness also fared worse on tests compared to their English-proficient peers.

Children who attended preschool prior to kindergarten entry exhibit higher levels of school readiness than their peers who did not attend preschool, and continue to outperform their peers in third grade. Attending preschool raised readiness levels for some at-risk children, including Latino children, English Language Learners, and children who were not read to daily in their home.

NEW CLASSROOM ASSESSMENT SCORING SYSTEM (CLASS) WEB SITE

The Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) has launched a new Web site. CLASS is a tool that uses observation to assess classroom quality and interactions in the areas of emotional support, classroom organization, and instructional support. The assessment and its dimensions are available for pre-kindergarten, elementary, and secondary classrooms. Links highlight both large- and small-scale classroom studies where CLASS is being used to improve early learning, school success, classroom quality, and teacher quality. Research abstracts are available from journal articles that examine classrooms where CLASS has been implemented, with several studies examining specifically the pre-K tool. The video library provides visual examples of and commentary on high-quality, actual classroom interactions. For states, districts, or schools interested in implementing CLASS, information is available on the types and cost of training sessions.

NON-PARENTAL CAREGIVER DEPRESSION – RESOURCE LIST AVAILABLE

Child Care and Early Education Research Connections has created a Key Topic Resource List on Non-parental Caregiver Depression. This annotated bibliography lists journal articles and publications from universities, research organizations, and foundations on the topics of depression in non-parental caregivers and means of supporting these caregivers. Previous research has examined the effect of parental depression on child development. Emerging studies on non-parental caregiver depression show that caregivers reporting depression at higher rates tend toward less sensitive caregiving, more withdrawn behavior, and poor quality interactions with the children in their care, which may negatively impact children’s development. Research also shows correlations between depression and caregivers with low educational levels and caregivers working in greater isolation. Social support services for caregivers, similar to the services that Head Start programs provide for parents, could help improve the quality of interactions between children and caregivers.

NEW REPORT DETAILS STATE INCOME TRENDS

The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities and the Economic Policy Institute have released a new report, Pulling Apart: A State-by-State Analysis of Income Trends. Since the late 1980s, income inequality has increased across the country, a trend which has accelerated since the late 1990s. Low-income families in the bottom fifth of the income distribution have experienced a 2.5 percent decline in income since the late 1990s, compared to a 9.1 percent gain in income among high-income families in the top fifth. The gap between middle-income families and high-income families has also widened since the late 1990s. States can mitigate income inequality through raising and indexing the minimum wage, improving the unemployment insurance system, making tax systems more progressive, and strengthening the social safety net. One component of a safety net is child care assistance. When families receive child care subsidies, they can work and earn more, reduce expensive child care bills, maintain more stable employment, and place their children in higher quality care that is more likely to promote healthy development. The report suggests that states can expand child care subsidy programs to reach more families, make co-payments affordable, improve their resource and referral capacity, and pay higher reimbursement rates for child care offered during non-traditional hours.

SERVICES PROVIDED BY CHILD CARE RESOURCE AND REFERRAL AGENCIES

The National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies (NACCRRA) has released Covering the Map: Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies Providing Vital Services to Parents Throughout the United States. The report presents findings on the activities carried out by local child care resource and referral agencies (CCR&Rs) as described in a May 2007 NACCRRA survey. CCR&Rs carry out a range of services for parents and providers including child care referrals, consumer education, assistance with accessing child care subsides, parent trainings and workshops, and referrals to additional community services. According to the report:

  • CCR&Rs served approximately 7 million in parents in 2006.
  • Nearly half (48 percent) of all referrals received by CCR&Rs were for infant and toddler care; 30 percent were for preschool-age care and 22 percent were for school-age care.
  • Beyond basic child care referral services, CCR&Rs often provide “enhanced referrals” that include child care vacancy checks and follow-up with parents, particularly for parents of children with special needs, military parents, and parents who receive Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). Twenty-three percent of enhanced referrals in 2006 were for families with limited English proficiency.
  • Nearly a third (31 percent) of CCR&Rs administer child care subsidies through state or local government contracts.
  • Sixty percent of CCR&Rs provide parent training workshops or other educational programs; 44 percent of these workshops targeted parents of infants and toddlers in 2006.
  • CCR&Rs train approximately 500,000 child care providers annually to improve the quality of care provided.
  • Nearly all CCR&Rs make referrals to other community services beyond child care that may include other early childhood programs, child care assistance, TANF, employment programs and children’s health services.

NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS PROMOTE VISION OF CHILD CARE

National and state organizations dedicated to improving the quality of our nation’s child care have developed a “Vision” blueprint for the reauthorization of the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) and the strengthening of the Dependent Care Tax Credit (DCTC). This “Vision,” when realized, will expand families’ access to high-quality learning opportunities for their children and help ensure all children are cared for in child care settings that enhance their readiness for and success in school.

The “Vision” has four key parts:

  1. Ensure children and families have access to affordable, healthy, and safe care;
  2. Improve quality to promote early learning;
  3. Improve and expand care for infants and toddlers; and
  4. Provide needed research and technical assistance.

In order to realize this “Vision,” federal funding for child care must be significantly increased. Currently, CCDBG, the major source of federal funding for child care initiatives, authorizes the federal government to provide funds to states to help low-income families pay for child care and to strengthen the quality of child care. CCDBG’s reauthorization is long overdue. In addition, in 2010 recent improvements to the DCTC will expire unless extended. The “Vision” offers a road map for the next reauthorization of CCDBG and for the protection and expansion of the DCTC that will help to ensure that children have access to the child care that they need to develop their full potential and that their families will have the support they need to work and be productive.

NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF STATE LEGISLATURES EARLY CARE AND EDUCATION LEGISLATIVE DATABASE

The National Conference of State Legislatures has released a new, real-time database of legislative proposals on early care and education in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The database provides information in categories such as child care and child care financing, early childhood services, pre-kindergarten, professional development, home visiting, infants and toddlers, and financing early education and can be searched by state, topic, status, primary sponsor, bill number, or keyword. A full history of the proposed legislation is included in the database, and information will be updated every two weeks.

April Update

EARLY CHILDHOOD POVERTY HAS HIGH ECONOMIC COSTS

The Partnership for America’s Economic Success has released a new paper, Economic Costs of Early Childhood Poverty, by Greg J. Duncan, Ariel Kalil, and Kathleen Ziol-Guest. The authors use the national longitudinal dataset from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID) to analyze links between adult outcomes at age 37 and poverty in early childhood (prenatal through age 5). Adults who lived in poverty as young children completed nearly two fewer years of schooling, worked 25 percent fewer hours, earned only about half as much, and received more food stamps and cash assistance benefits, compared to adults who had lived in families with incomes of at least twice the poverty line as young children.

The study examined the costs and benefits of a policy that would bring the family income of all poor children, prenatal through age 5, up to the poverty line. The authors estimate that an average annual income transfer of $4,326 per poor young child would bring family income up to the poverty line and eliminate young childhood poverty. As a result, the authors estimate:

  • Annual increases in work hours by 12.4 percent and earnings by 28.7 percent per poor child,
  • Lifetime earnings increases of between $53,000 and $100,000 per poor child,
  • Lifetime food stamp decreases of $1,600 per poor child, and
  • Lifetime cash assistance decreases of $1,250 per poor female child.

Taxpayers would benefit from increased revenue through increased earnings and decreased public assistance benefits.

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR STATES IN CREATING EARLY LEARNING GUIDELINES FOR INFANTS AND TODDLERS

ZERO TO THREE’s new report, Early Learning Guidelines for Infants and Toddlers: Recommendations for States, provides 17 recommendations for the process of creating and developing content guidelines for infants and toddlers. Early Learning Guidelines for Infants and Toddlers (ELG/ITs) describe what infants and toddlers at different age ranges are generally expected to know and be able to do, and how processes like attention, memory, curiosity, and persistence build the foundation for later learning. Process recommendations include: the importance of involving all stakeholders, using research on infant and toddler development, and integrating other parts of the state’s early childhood system. Within the content of ELG/ITs, recommendations include highlighting the importance of relationships with adults to young children’s learning and being explicitly inclusive of diverse cultural, ethnic, and linguistic populations, as well as infants and toddlers with disabilities and special needs. The report provides a rationale and key considerations for each of the 17 recommendations, as well as some examples, research resources, and links to all the ELG/ITs that states have currently developed.

GETTING READY FOR SCHOOL: PALM BEACH COUNTY’S EARLY CHILDHOOD CLUSTER INITIATIVE

In 2005, the Early Childhood Cluster Initiative (ECCI) was launched by the Palm Beach County Children’s Services Council, United Way of Palm Beach County, Palm Beach County School District, and Palm Beach Community College in Palm Beach, Florida. The ECCI provides a full-school day preschool program, with some after-school activities, for 3- and 4-year old children, modeled after the Perry Preschool program, and supports coordination of multiple agencies serving children in the community from birth to age 5. ECCI classrooms feature High/Scope curriculum, 1:6 adult to child ratios, bachelor degreed teachers, parent involvement activities, and health and developmental screenings and referrals.  ECCI activities reach across the community involving children, school staff, families, and community-based organizations and support services.  The initiative this year expanded from classrooms in 10 Title I schools to include community-based child care centers serving infants and toddlers.

In an evaluation of the second year of implementation of the ECCI, the Chapin Hall Center for Children found the following:

  • Overall program quality improved in the second year as a result of classroom training and technical assistance. The High/Scope model became more firmly established and four teachers received their High/Scope certification.
  • School staff reported satisfaction with the ECCI program, although variations in implementation among sites contributed to dissatisfaction with some elements of the program. Evaluators suggested that staff turnover contributed to uneven implementation and quality.
  • Parental involvement activities increased and parents reported satisfaction with the ECCI program and services.
  • The expansion of ECCI to community-based child care programs had some challenges, particularly in the areas of communication between schools and centers; lack of curriculum training and support in infant/toddler classes; and discrepancies in compensation between school and center staff.
  • Student assessments found that 89 percent of children who entered kindergarten after one year of ECCI were “ready for kindergarten” as measured by a state school readiness screening tool. Children who graduated from ECCI scored higher on letter recognition and pre-literacy skills than peers in their schools. They also exhibited fewer behavioral and disciplinary referrals compared to other kindergarten children in their schools. 

EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATOR COMPETENCIES

The Center for the Study of Child Care Employment released Early Childhood Educator Competencies: A Literature Review of Current Best Practices and a Public Input Process on Next Steps for California. The report presents the findings of an extensive literature review of state and national work on developing early childhood educator competencies in order to identify best practices, trends, and gaps. The report also includes findings from a public commenting process, which included an online survey and public meetings throughout California, to inform future development of California’s own set of core competencies.
 
The report closely examines the early childhood competencies developed by Illinois, Kansas and Missouri (jointly), Kentucky, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia—states that recently carried out in-depth processes to develop such competencies. These states’ competencies across several domains are thoroughly reviewed and compared.

Researchers explored how states have defined competencies, what domains of competencies have been included, and what age groups of children should be included in competencies for the early childhood field. While the public commenting process revealed strong agreement that early childhood competencies should include children birth to age 3, feedback from the field found varying degrees of support for defining early childhood to be birth to age 6, birth to age 8, or birth to age 12. The center’s review found a general weakness, across state competencies and domains, in the areas of competency in cultural diversity, dual language learning, and working with children with special needs. Feedback from the early childhood field revealed strong interest in California taking the lead in these areas nationally and developing a set of competencies that define standards for working with diverse children in a way that has not yet been done adequately. The field also urged that when California’s core competencies are developed, sufficient resources should be available to support the training and professional development needs of practitioners to achieve competency across all domains.

CHALLENGING COMMON MYTHS ABOUT YOUNG ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS

A new policy brief from the Foundation for Child Development uses recent research to challenge common myths and misconceptions regarding dual language acquisition and teaching strategies for working with young English Language Learners.  Debunking these myths, research confirms the following:

  • Children can competently learn two languages in early childhood without confusion and without delaying English language learning. In fact, some research suggests that dual language learning has long-term cognitive, academic, and social benefits.
  • English language learning in early childhood, coupled with continued learning in the home language, yields the highest levels of achievement by third grade and beyond. English immersion, without home language support, during the preschool years may harm children’s English language development and academic achievement in future years.
  • Programs without sufficient multilingual capacity can still help English Language Learners. There are strategies that can be employed by teachers who are not fluent in a second language to support children’s home languages.
  • Dual language programs can benefit all children, including native English speakers.
  • While many Latino English Language Learners face multiple risk factors for poor academic achievement, some research indicates that children from Mexican immigrant families enter kindergarten with higher levels of social-emotional competence compared to their peers. This is a strength schools could build upon.
  • Latino children’s lower rates of preschool enrollment are not related to their families’ cultural preferences but rather are related to issues of access, availability, and affordability. 

STATE EARLY CARE AND EDUCATION BUDGET ACTIONS, FY 2007-2008

State appropriations for early education programs increased over $1 billion from FY 2007 to 2008, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures’ first-ever survey of state child care and early education appropriations. The survey asked state fiscal staff to report appropriations in the areas of child care, pre-kindergarten, parent education/home visiting, and other early learning strategies.  The survey found increases in all four areas:

  • Child care appropriations increased by over $672 million ($400 million of which was reported in California) with a total of 47 states reporting increased funding. NCSL notes that the increases in child care appropriations in actuality may not have outpaced the funding challenges that have daunted states for years. 
  • Pre-kindergarten appropriations increased by nearly $510 million, with a total of 30 states reporting increased funding.
  • Parent education appropriations increased by over $20 million, with a total of 17 states reporting increased funding.
  • Appropriations for other early learning supports, including Head Start/Early Head Start, infant and toddler initiatives, and early childhood mental health programs increased by $26 million, with a total of 19 states reporting increased funding.

Eight states—Alabama, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Washington—reported increased funding in all four areas.

NGA PRESENTS FINDINGS FROM SURVEY ON EARLY CHILDHOOD ADVISORY COUNCILS

The National Governor’s Association Center for Best Practices has presented results of a state survey on the nature of state early childhood coordinating councils. Of 36 responding states, 31 reported having at least one Early Childhood Advisory Council; five reported not having such a council. According to the survey results, among the 31 states with councils:

  • Approximately half (52 percent) of the councils were established by an act of the state legislature; 23 percent were established by executive order of the governor.
  • Forty-two percent of councils exist as their own entities, while 32 percent exist within human services departments.
  • Early Childhood Advisory Councils commonly include state child care administrators, health care administrators, state pre-kindergarten administrators, state child care resource and referral networks, and professional development providers.
  • Most councils are primarily responsible for coordination of early care and education programs and services; most coordinate with the Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems grant initiative and with state P-16 or -20 councils.
  • Most councils’ activities are related to the development of statewide professional development career ladders, early learning outcomes and standards, and assessing the availability of birth-to-5 initiatives.

SPEAKER PELOSI FOCUSES ATTENTION ON YOUNG CHILDREN

In May 2007, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi invited researchers from across the country to a National Summit on America’s Children to present research on the development of young children to policymakers. Pathways From Brain Research to Policy: Highlights from the National Summit on America’s Children, summarizes the research findings and implications for policy development.

The report categorizes the research findings into three main areas: healthy births and positive physical and mental health; parent supports and early care and education; and family economic security.  The conclusion notes that the research presented at the Summit provides a blueprint for using the best and most recent science for making policies that support young children’s healthy development.  The report is seen as a starting point for conversations among policymakers, organizations, communities, and families.

MENTAL HEALTH SCREENING BENEFICIAL TO PRESCHOOLERS

The Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute has released a “snapshot” on a new mental health screening tool for preschoolers. The ABLE screening uses a scale to assess the severity of concerns about preschoolers’ attention, behavior, language, and emotions and helps determine if a child needs further diagnosis and intervention. The snapshot highlights two studies where ABLE was used in public pre-kindergarten and Head Start classrooms and found to be a valid and reliable screening tool. Tests of cultural bias showed that teacher characteristics were not correlated with their reporting concerns about children, and children of color were not over-identified by the screening tool.

CONNECTICUT EARLY CHILDHOOD CABINET RELEASES REPORT ON BUILDING A COMPREHENSIVE SYSTEM FOR INFANTS AND TODDLERS

First Words, First Steps: The Importance of the Early Years provides recommendations to the Connecticut Early Childhood Education Cabinet on building a comprehensive state system across physical and mental health, family support, and early care and education domains for Connecticut’s infants and toddlers. The report summarizes research on the importance of development during infant and toddler years and examines data on young children in Connecticut. Based on the critical nature of the first three years of life and Connecticut’s current policies and programs, the report makes recommendations in the following nine categories:

  • maternal health,
  • family support,
  • child health: physical, mental, and oral,
  • early screening, assessment, and intervention,
  • early care and education,
  • early literacy,
  • child poverty reduction,
  • systems innovation, and
  • data development.

The report contains recommendations for the first year of action, such as expanding and increasing early intervention; the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC); home visiting; the Medicaid Early Periodic, Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment (EPSDT) program; child care slots for infants and toddlers; and state inter-agency collaboration, as well as longer term recommendations for further prevention services, outreach capacity, and new opportunities like paid family leave.

NIEER RELEASES ANNUAL STATE PRESCHOOL YEARBOOK

The National Institute for Early Education Research released its annual State Preschool Yearbook, detailing state preschool enrollment, standards, and funding in the 2006-2007 school year. The number of 4-year-olds enrolled in state preschool increased from 20 to 22 percent, with enrollment growing in 30 states. Oklahoma, Florida, and Georgia serve the largest percent of 4-year-olds at 68 percent, 57 percent, and 53 percent respectively. The number of 3-year-olds served, while significantly lower, rose by 10 percent in the last year. Average spending per child, from federal, state, and local sources, was estimated at $4,134. Overall spending on state preschool reached an all-time high of $3.7 billion.

More than 1 million children attend state-funded preschool, but the quality of their experiences varies dramatically. Only two states, Alabama and North Carolina, met all 10 of NIEER’s quality benchmarks, which include standards related to teacher degree requirements, early learning standards, class size, staff-child ratios, screening and support services, and monitoring. 

March Update

STATE REPORTED ACTIVITIES TO SUPPORT IMMIGRANT AND LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENT FAMILIES THROUGH CCDBG

In the new policy brief, CCDBG State Plan Reported Activities to Support Limited English Proficient (LEP) and Immigrant Communities, CLASP reviewed FY 2006-2007 Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) state plans for references to initiatives that could support immigrant families and/or providers, LEP families and/or providers, and English Language Learners (ELLs). The plans set out the policies and initiatives each state expects to implement over a two-year period using the direct service and quality set-aside funds in the Child Care and Development Block Grant.

Some examples of state-reported activities include:

  • Utah assembled an early learning guidelines development team that represented diverse cultural groups. The team included Centro de la Familia, a nonprofit organization that works to meet the needs of the Latino population in the state.
  • Arizona’s and South Dakota’s Early Learning Guidelines contain specific information or strategies addressing how they can be used with ELLs.
  • North Carolina’s Division of Child Development Web site is available in Spanish.
  • New York’s application for child care assistance is available in six languages—Haitian-Creole, Arabic, Chinese, Russian, Spanish, and English.

CLASP found that state reported activities to support diverse families and providers were often vague. Few states reported a comprehensive approach by planning for multiple strategies. To better serve the child care and early education needs of LEP and immigrant families, CLASP recommends that states develop comprehensive strategies that are clear in their intent to meet the needs of LEP and immigrant families and providers and specific in their plans for implementation. Recommended policies include:

  • Provide materials on child care services to language minority communities, including information about eligibility for child care subsidies;
  • Ensure that child care subsidy intake procedures and materials are linguistically appropriate, culturally sensitive, and accessible for those living in immigrant communities; and
  • Use contracts and grants to expand access to high quality child care programs for children in immigrant families, and support partnerships with immigrant serving organizations to provide information and direct services.

CENTER DIRECTORS CONVEY OVERALL POSITIVE EXPERIENCES IMPLEMENTING ABBOTT PRESCHOOL PROGRAM

The Center for the Study of Child Care Employment has released the results of a survey that asked child care and Head Start Center directors about their experiences implementing New Jersey’s Abbott Preschool Program. The findings, published in Partnering for Preschool: A Study of Center Directors in New Jersey’s Mixed-Delivery Abbott Program, revealed that directors implementing the Abbott program had positive experiences overall. They also identified areas of needed improvement. Features of the program found most helpful by the directors were the educational supports and high compensation for staff, stable and sufficient funding for center materials and operations, and the resources to offer comprehensive services. Other findings revealed that minimal staff changes were needed to comply with higher teacher standards when initially implementing the program, and that most directors rely on help from school districts for technical assistance and training related to center operations and administration. Those interviewed said administrative duties, like paperwork, budgeting, and regulations, were among the greatest challenges. Many providers noted that the different requirements of the multiple funding streams they use to support their programs created frustrations; others noted the lack of collaboration and support from their school district. Among suggested improvements were the need for additional teacher training in areas such as child development and working with English Language Learners. Lessons learned from this study that can help other states establish high-quality, state pre-kindergarten programs that include a mixed delivery model include:

  • Improve collaboration among the multiple players involved by creating opportunities for state agencies to talk to each other; help state agencies and school districts to communicate better; and provide assistance to guide school districts and community-based providers into a more collaborative relationship.
  • Create and implement policies that make it easier to blend funding from multiple sources.
  • Minimize inequities among staff in and among community-based programs and create policies and professional development opportunities to promote equity.
  • Set reasonable timelines to phase in new qualifications for early childhood educators.

CHILD CARE COSTS CONTINUE TO IMPOSE HEAVY BURDENS ON FAMILY BUDGETS

The National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies (NACCRRA) has updated its report on the price of child care. Parents And The High Price of Child Care: 2007 Update found that the price of child care is still burdensome for many families in America. Findings from this nationwide survey of state and local child care resource and referral agencies revealed that the average annual price for a 4–year-old in a child care center ranges from $3,794 to $10,920. For infants, the average child care center price for one child was even higher, ranging from $4,388 to $14,647 per year. Other findings reveal that the price of child care has increased more than twice the rate of inflation from 2005 to 2006; and in many cases child care costs are higher than other family expenses such as food or rent. This burden is particularly felt by single parents who, in 48 states, would need to spend more than 50 percent of their median household income to provide child care for two children. To remedy this situation, NACCRRA recommends that federal and state policy makers:

  • Increase federal and state investments in child care assistance and quality improvements;
  • Reduce barriers in the subsidy administration process that prevent families from accessing assistance;
  • Improve federal and state tax codes to help families at all income levels pay for care; and
  • Provide resources for planning and developing child care capacity to increase the availability of child care options for working families.

RACIAL DISPARITIES IN CHILD WELL-BEING PERSIST DESPITE GAINS BY BLACK AND HISPANIC CHILDREN

An analysis of child well-being data released by the Foundation for Child Development (FCD) shows that from 1985 to 2004 child well-being increased for all groups of children. Gaps in overall well-being between white and black children and between Hispanic and white children have narrowed, yet large gaps remain. Child well-being was measured using the FCD Child Well-being Index (CWI) which measures children’s well being on 28 quality of life indicators across seven domains: safety/behavioral concerns, family economic well-being, community connectedness, health, social relationships, educational attainment, and emotional and spiritual well-being. The CWI gap between black and white children was reduced from 29 to 21 points, with gains in the safety/behavioral concerns, family economic well-being, community connectedness, and health domains largely responsible for this reduction. The CWI gap between Hispanic children and white children dropped from 20 to 14 points and is largely attributed to Hispanic gains in safety, family economic well being, health, and social relationships. Drops in teenage birth rates were a major factor in narrowing the well-being gap between white children and both black and Hispanic children who experienced a combined 84 point reduction in teenage birth rates. Other indicators largely credited with narrowing racial gaps in child well-being include a 140 point reduction in violent crimes committed by black youth, and a reversal in Hispanic crime victimization trends. Hispanic children shifted from being 47 points more likely than white children to be victims of crime in 1985, to being 18 points less likely in 2004. Based on past trends, the study suggest that the persisting well-being gaps between black and white children and Hispanic and white children could be eliminated in one generation, but may require expanded resources and a renewed commitment to public policy solutions.

YOUNG CHILDREN ARE PREPARED TO LEARN MATHEMATICS BUT MANY TEACHERS ARE UNPREPARED TO TEACH IT

“Mathematics Education for Young Children: What It Is and How to Promote It,” a research article in Social Policy Report from the Society for Research in Child Development, explores the idea of teaching mathematics to young children, ages 3 to 5. The article asserts that early childhood mathematics education can bolster later academic performance and it focuses on three related topics: young children’s cognitive abilities to learn mathematics, the content and components of early childhood mathematics education, and early childhood educators’ readiness to teach mathematics. The paper demonstrates that without much direct adult assistance, young children usually develop everyday mathematic skills in a variety of areas such as shapes, space, patterns, numbers, and operations, and that they have the cognitive capacity to learn deep mathematics. The authors identify six components that should be incorporated into early childhood mathematics education. These include: an environment with objects and materials that support the development of math skills, play, spontaneous teaching moments, projects, a mathematics curriculum, and deliberate instruction in mathematics. A review of teachers’ readiness to teach early childhood mathematics education revealed that many early childhood educators were not prepared in college to teach mathematics, many do not place a high value on teaching mathematics, and many teachers spend much less classroom time teaching math than other subjects, such as literacy. Recommendations offered to increase the teaching of mathematics in early education include:

  • Require that early childhood programs use research-based curricula and support the development of early childhood mathematics curricula.
  • Support research on best practices for teaching mathematics to young children.
  • Conduct assessment and evaluations of efforts to teach early childhood mathematics.
  • Include coursework in early childhood mathematics as a part of teacher’s pre-service training requirements.

STATES EMPLOY VARIOUS STRATEGIES TO MAINTAIN FAMILIES’ ACCESS TO CHILD CARE SUBSIDIES

A new report from the Urban Institute synthesizes recent findings from multiple research studies that report state efforts to design child care subsidy policies and practices to better support families who need help paying for child care. The report, Designing Subsidy Systems to Meet the Needs of Families: An Overview of Policy Research Findings, identified three general types of strategies states have undertaken to improve and maintain access to subsidies. First, the report describes actions states can take to improve every stage of a family’s interaction with the subsidy system, characterized by efforts to link subsidies to other social service programs and improve customer service practices. Specific policies in this category include integrating computer systems across social service programs like TANF, food stamps and Medicaid; combining or coordinating work responsibilities across these programs; and ensuring that language and literacy levels are not barriers to families with limited English proficiency (LEP) by hiring bilingual staff, translating materials, and maximizing one-on-one contact with LEP families. Next the report grouped state efforts into a category of strategies that focus on simplifying the application and redetermination processes. This group includes efforts to make applications easier to fill out and submit, and lengthening the authorization period. The final set of policy strategies are those that focus on supporting families through changing circumstances, and includes efforts to simplify requirements for reporting changes before recertification and minimizing inadvertent termination of subsidies from temporary changes in family circumstances. Specific policies in this group include simplifying what families need to report to retain their subsidy, providing subsidies during gaps in employment, and stabilizing subsidies through short-term increases in income.

SOCIAL SKILLS PRESCHOOL CURRICULA LINKED TO REDUCED BEHAVIOR CHALLENGES

In Challenging Behaviors and the Role of Preschool Education, the National Institute for Early Education (NIEER) explores aggression and other challenging behaviors among young children and how preschool participation may reduce negative behavior if appropriate curricula are used. Curricula associated with deterring the development of negative behavior among young children are those that incorporate social skills training within the broader context of high-quality preschool education. Such curricula emphasize the quality of children’s problem solving skills and may require targeted and more intense approaches for socio-economic disadvantaged children, who may be more at risk for developing challenging behavior patterns. The report also highlights several effective social skills curricula available for use in preschool environments. To ensure that preschool participation serve as a positive influence on young children’s development NIEER recommends:

  • Provide high-quality preschool education to all children.
  • Provide teacher training and technical support in the area of children’s social and emotional development and classroom management.
  • Incorporate classroom-based curricula that include social skills teaching as core knowledge that should be taught to children in early care and education programs.
  • Provide additional and more intense social skills interventions for children struggling with challenging behaviors.
  • Conduct appropriate developmental screenings for early identification of at-risk children.

SIMILAR ANTI-POVERTY APPROACHES FOUND THROUGHOUT MANY US CITIES

A survey of local level anti-poverty initiatives issued to city officials across the country by the National League of Cities, revealed that 29 of the nearly 100 cities that responded are currently engaged in poverty reduction initiatives. The findings, reported in Combating Poverty: Emerging Strategies From The Nation’s Cities, highlights four common themes in city anti-poverty initiatives. One of these themes is working to create a coordinating entity to monitor and sustain progress over time, which entails assigning planning, coordinating, and in some cases oversight of anti-poverty programs to a single group or agency in order to improve efficiency and accountability. Another theme highlighted in the report is selecting specific targets for community-wide action or concentrating anti-poverty efforts on a single or small set of issues to enable officials to devote resources in a more manageable fashion and generate more measurable progress in tackling poverty. Issues most commonly addressed in this manner include asset building, health, workforce development, literacy, and housing and homeownership. A third anti-poverty theme found among survey respondents is targeting vulnerable populations or neighborhoods for immediate attention. These initiatives prioritize specific demographic groups or geographic areas as the beneficiaries of poverty reduction efforts. The final theme highlights anti-poverty programs that redefine the issues and push beyond traditional boundaries to address often overlooked burdens confronting impoverished individuals and families. Efforts that fall under this theme include placing grocery stores in high poverty neighborhoods to reduce transportation needs, working with life insurance companies to provide free life insurance, and enhancing low-income residents’ access to mainstream financial institutions and services.

The report also draws attention to the unique predicament of many small towns and municipalities that find themselves trying to combat poverty with fewer resources, staff, and development and investment opportunities than larger cities. Overall, the most common anti-poverty approaches were community and volunteer supported outreach campaigns to connect low-income residents to federal and state entitlement programs such as the Earned Income Tax Credit, food stamps, and health insurance. Other anti-poverty efforts include New York city’s proposed tax credit to help low-income residents pay for child care and a recommendation by the Providence, Rhode Island, Poverty Work and Opportunity Task Force that city officials engage in efforts to help residents receive adequate child care subsidies and other social service benefits. Included in the report are city profiles highlighting anti-poverty efforts in 13 cities.

CENSUS BUREAU RELEASES LATEST DATA ON CHILD CARE ARRANGEMENTS

The U.S. Census Bureau released detailed data tables on the child care participation of children under age 15 with working mothers. Data show that in the spring of 2005, 72 percent of children under age 5 had a primary non-parental care arrangement. Relative care was the primary child care arrangement for 27 percent of young children. A quarter of all young children attended a center-based child care program, including a preschool or Head Start program, as their primary care arrangement. Eleven percent of children of working mothers had no regular child care arrangement. The data are broken down by age, income, race, and other variables. Key data points include:

  • Young children in poor and low-income households are more likely to be in relative care.
  • Young children whose mothers worked traditional daytime hours were more than twice as likely to be in family child care or center-based care compared to young children whose mothers worked non-daytime hours.
  • The use of center-based child care is highest in the south, where 30 percent of young children with working mothers attend centers.
  • One-third (33 percent) of infants under a year old are in relative care compared to 28 percent of 1 to 2-year-olds and 25 percent of 3 to 4-year-olds.
  • Over half (51 percent) of families with young children make child care payments. Poor families on average pay 29 percent of their household income on child care compared to 15 percent for low-income families (100-199 percent of poverty) and 6 percent for upper-income families.
  • Half (50 percent) of children age 5 to 14 had no regular care arrangement outside of school or self-care.

February Update

CLASP FRAMEWORK IDENTIFIES FUNDAMENTAL NEEDS OF BABIES AND TODDLERS IN CHILD CARE

CLASP’s Charting Progress for Babies in Child Care project is a multi-year effort to highlight state policies that support the healthy growth and development of infants and toddlers in child care settings, and to build an online resource to help states implement these policies. In the first year of this project, CLASP worked with ZERO TO THREE to develop a Policy Framework, drawing on the input of over one hundred experts around the country. The Framework sets forth four key principles that establish the foundation of supports that all babies and toddlers in child care need. These principles are: nurturing, responsive providers and caregivers they can trust; parents, providers, and caregivers that are supported by and linked to community resources; healthy and safe environments; and families with access to quality options for child care. Recommendations that state child care licensing, quality, and subsidy policies should address include:

  • Establish what providers and caregivers should know to care for babies and toddlers.
  • Ensure that babies and toddlers in centers are in small groups with sufficient numbers of adults.
  • Build the supply of high quality infant and toddler child care.
  • Provide culturally and linguistically appropriate information on choosing infant and toddler child care.

STUDY FINDS POOR STATE STANDARDS AND OVERSIGHT OF SMALL FAMILY CHILD CARE HOMES

Leaving Children to Chance: NACCRRA’s Ranking of State Standards and Oversight of Small Family Child Care Homes paints a dismal picture of state regulations for small family child care homes. This study by the National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies (NACCRRA), found that in the majority of states, regulations and licensing requirements for family child care providers are weak. These include state inspection standards, provider pre-service training requirements, early learning standards, and basic safety and health policies. Of a possible score of 140 points on 14 indicators of quality small family child care homes, the average state score was 59. Oklahoma received the highest score, with 105 of the 140 available points. Recommendations to improve state standards and oversight of small family child care homes include:

  • Require small family child care homes where providers are paid to regularly care for unrelated children to be regulated.
  • Require an inspection or licensing visit prior to the state issuing a license.
  • Have licensors make regular unannounced inspections.
  • Require all family child care providers to complete 40 hours of pre-service training before opening their doors to unrelated children. Require 24 hours of annual training.
  • Prohibit self-certification of compliance with health and safety standards.

EARLY CARE AND EDUCATION INDUSTRY SUPPORTS STRONG ECONOMY IN LOS ANGELES

The Insight Center’s The Economic Impact of the Early Care and Education Industry in Los Angeles County reports that the early care and education (ECE) industry, which is comprised of child care and child development programs and licensed home providers for children under age 12, preschool programs, after school, latchkey, and other out of school time programs, is a vital element in strengthening and sustaining the county’s economy. The study found that the early childhood industry in Los Angeles County generates $1.9 billion dollars annually, and directly supports over 65,000 full-time jobs. Between 2006 and 2016 it will be responsible for generating the sixth highest number of new jobs in the county. Additionally, the industry was found to play a vital role in the effectiveness of other industries by creating opportunities for parents to be productive participants in the workforce, helping young children develop skills to contribute to the economy as adults, and preventing occurrences of incarceration, welfare dependency, and other trends that may have a negative impact on the economy. To ensure that early care and education remains a vital and relevant part of the economy, Insight recommends that:

  • the public sector increase investments to expand and improve early care and education options for low-income families;
  • the business sector establish and promote early care and education benefits such as child care subsidies and supports; and
  • the early care and education community encourage families to advocate for early childhood investment and increased quality and service availability.

SERIES EXPLAINS HOW TO EFFECTIVELY COMMUNICATE ABOUT INFANT-TODDLER ISSUES

ZERO TO THREE has released a series of four articles advising early childhood advocates on how to frame infant-toddler issues and increase their efficacy when communicating to policymakers and the general public about early childhood development. The series identifies six strategic elements—context, numbers, messengers, visuals, tone, metaphors and simplifying models—that are essential to developing an effective communications framework about early childhood development. Throughout the documents advice is offered on how to most effectively incorporate these items into a communications strategy. Recommendations include using visuals that convey the public nature of the problem, making connections between data and long-term trends, and emphasizing practical solutions. The articles also stress that advocates should seek to gain an understanding of current perceptions of early childhood issues held by individuals outside the field and that attempts should be made to present new frameworks that support the need for policy solutions.

CLASSROOM ASSESSMENT SYSTEM OFFERS STANDARDIZED MEASURE OF TEACHER PERFORMANCE

In an interview with the Harvard Education Letter, Dr. Robert Pianta, director of the Center for Advanced Study of Teaching and Learning and the National Center for Research on Early Childhood Education, discusses the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) that he developed to measure teacher quality. Pianta expressed that CLASS offers a standardized method to measure the quality of teacher performance in three domains of supportive interactions: emotional support, organizational support, and instructional support. According to Pianta, CLASS goes beyond measuring teacher’s basic skills to focus on teaching behaviors that stimulate reasoning, problem-solving, and critical thinking. Pianta’s experiences have revealed that high-quality classroom experiences are rare but that teachers can enhance their classroom behaviors by seeking consultative support.

DEVELOPMENTAL DELAYS ARE OFTEN UNDETECTED IN YOUNG CHILDREN

The Commonwealth Fund has released a report titled Developmental Screening in Primary Care: The Effectiveness of Current Practice and Recommendations for Improvement. Through a literature review, researchers found that current efforts by pediatricians and other medical providers to detect developmental delays in early childhood often fail to do so in a timely manner. The research revealed that while treatment of developmental delays are most effective in the first three years of life, many children are not properly identified as having a developmental delay until after kindergarten entry. The study also uncovered that while 10 percent of children under 3 have developmental delays, only 2.3 percent are being served by early intervention programs. The study found that physicians rely more heavily on informal milestones and clinical impressions than validated screening tools to identify children with special developmental needs. Recommended steps to promote early identification of developmental delays in young children include:

  • Identify reasons for under-identification of developmental conditions in young children and document the effectiveness of physicians’ screening efforts over time.
  • Train residents in pediatrics and family medicine to routinely use developmental screening tools.

STIMULATING EARLY EXPERIENCES ARE ESSENTIAL TO HEALTHY BRAIN DEVELOPMENT

The Timing and Quality of Early Experiences Combine to Shape Brain Architecture: Working Paper #5, a research paper by the National Scientific Council on the Developing Child, reveals that a child’s early environment and experience are critical to the development of a his or her brain architecture. The study asserts that stimulating early experiences lay strong foundations for later learning and that age-appropriate experiences can facilitate optimum brain development. Early experiences that are devoid of stimulation or that invoke stress may cause long time detrimental effects on brain development. Policy considerations raised by this research include:

  • Early and effective intervention for the most vulnerable children will generate the greatest financial payback.
  • Increasing the availability of evidence-based, two-generation programs that begin immediately after birth, can enhance the experiences of young children in families with limited education and low income.
  • Enrolling all children who meet eligibility criteria for early intervention programs as early as possible would help infants and toddlers with developmental delays and disabilities build foundational skills.

EARLY CARE AND EDUCATION IS IMPORTANT TO MOST VOTERS

Partnership for America’s Economic Success has released two research presentations on the public perception of government investments in early education. The two documents: Investing in Children by Overbrook Research and Partnership for America’s Economic Success/Invest in Kids Working Group by Lake Research Partners indicate that early learning is an important issue among most voters and its saliency may be increased by connecting it with K-12 education.

Key findings from Investing in Children include:

  • On a 10 point scale improving care/learning experiences for children age 0-3 received an average rank of 7.8.
  • Substantial support was found for improving child care facilities through raising standards of workers, making child care more educational, and increasing salaries.
  • Early childhood programs are seen as true investments, returning better educated children for fewer dollars.

Key findings from Partnership for America’s Economic Success/Invest in Kids Working Group include:

  • Half of those surveyed believe that programs and services for infants and young children should be a top priority for government spending.
  • When it comes to possible budget cuts around education, voters are most protective of early childhood programs.
  • The public is receptive to voluntary preschool and kindergarten as a way to address the achievement gap between low- and high-performing students.

MATERNAL DEPRESSION NEGATIVELY IMPACTS EARLY DEVELOPMENT AND SCHOOL READINESS

Reducing Maternal Depression and Its Impact on Young Children: Toward a Responsive Early Childhood Policy Framework finds that maternal depression may negatively impact healthy early development and school readiness by negatively influencing critical early relationships, impairing parental safety and health management, and increasing the risk caused by other negative environments such as poverty. The developmental barriers and harmful cognitive, social, emotional, and behavioral impacts associated with maternal depression often go undetected and are more prevalent among low-income children. Community and programmatic strategies to address maternal depression highlighted in the study include screenings and follow-ups for women in ob/gyn or pediatric practices; targeted home-visiting and Early Head Start intervention programs, and promoting awareness. Recommendations to enhance the federal, state and local response to maternal depression include:

  • The federal government should provide incentives to states to cover parents of young children through Medicaid up to 200 percent of the poverty level to ensure access to treatment for depression.
  • States should dedicate a staff person to coordinating interagency screening, prevention, and treatment efforts to address depression through a family lens.
  • Local communities should engage leaders of low-income communities in designing and evaluating public awareness campaigns and culturally and linguistically responsive outreach and program strategies.

January Update

CLASP CHILD CARE AND EARLY EDUCATION TEAM RELEASES THREE NEW REPORTS

CLASP provides a snapshot of Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) participation in fiscal year 2006 in Child Care and Development Block Grant Participation in 2006. This analysis of recently released preliminary data from the federal Child Care Bureau reveals that:

  • The number of children receiving CCDBG assistance increased slightly. CCDBG served a monthly average of 1.8 million children in 2006, an increase of 53,200 children from 2005.
  • Less than a third of children served in 2006 were under age 3, while the 3-5 and 6-13 age groups each comprised more than one-third of children served.
  • In 2006, 57 percent of children were served in center-based care, 29 percent in family child care homes, 7 percent in their own homes, and 5 percent in group homes.
  • Ninety-two percent of families receiving CCDBG are working and/or in education or training programs.

CLASP created a checklist of recommended policies that states can use to assess and guide development of their policies to promote access to high-quality child care and early education for immigrant families in Improving Access to Child Care and Early Education for Immigrant Families: A State Policy Checklist. Recommended policies include:

  • State dedicates resources, using contracts and other dedicated funding mechanisms, to expand access to high-quality child care and early education programs for immigrant families or to create new programs targeting immigrant families.
  • State funds targeted child care and early education outreach to immigrant families. Outreach uses cultural mediators, bilingual and culturally competent staff, and is conducted in appropriate formats and in the primary languages of immigrant communities.
  • State includes family, friend, and neighbor caregivers in immigrant communities in professional development and training initiatives and uses trusted messengers to improve outreach to informal caregivers.
  • State encourages and supports local coordination and collaboration between child care and early education programs and agencies and immigrant-serving organizations. This may include incentives for child care and early education programs to partner with immigrant serving organizations and funding for these partnerships.
  • State supports increasing the linguistic and cultural diversity of the workforce through the provision of scholarships, stipends, training and professional development opportunities, including partnerships with Institutions of Higher Education, targeted to providers in immigrant communities.

In Selected State and Local Policies to Support Immigrant and Limited English Proficient (LEP) Early Care and Education Providers CLASP highlights selected policies, in the areas of language access, training, and professional development, that can support LEP early care and education providers. Selected policies include:

  • State or local agencies can create language access plans for language minority communities in their area. These may include dedicated resources for recruiting and hiring multilingual staff and competently translating materials that are easy to read at a low literacy level.
  • State and local licensors should receive cultural competency training.
  • State and local agencies can promote community-based networks of immigrant and language minority providers in order to help providers link to existing child care and early education agencies for training and support.

The report includes several examples of state and local programs that are implementing these policies.

TEACHER EDUCATION AND TRAINING SEEN AS KEY ELEMENT IN RAISING EARLY CARE AND EDUCATION QUALITY

In the second paper of their Quality Matters series, Making the Grade: Making the Case for Well-Educated, Well-Trained Teaching Staff in Early Care and Education, the Wisconsin Council on Children and Families uses the findings of recent research studies to demonstrate a strong relationship between teacher education and training and early childhood program quality and child outcomes. While the research is clear on the benefits of well-educated and well-trained teachers, questions remain concerning the necessary levels of education and training. In Wisconsin, nearly all public school and special education early childhood teachers possess Bachelor’s degrees and 70 percent of Head Start teachers have at least a two-year degree, but only 30 percent of child care center teachers and licensed family child care providers have at least a two-year degree. A review of several state efforts to increase teacher qualifications helped develop the following set of potential strategies for Wisconsin and other states looking to raise the educational levels of their early childhood workforce:

  • Raise regulatory requirements pertaining to educational qualifications. Increase support of scholarships and wage supplements to help teachers increase their educational qualifications.
  • Offer fiscal incentives to encourage teachers to pursue increased qualifications.
  • Develop a statewide early childhood professional development system.

ANALYSIS OF EARLY CARE AND EDUCATION TRENDS IN WISCONSIN

The Wisconsin Early Learning Coalition has released Data and Analysis--Early Care and Education in Wisconsin: 2007 in which they discuss trends and data in early care and education services to children in the state. Key findings include:

  • From 1995-2007 the state experienced a 183 percent increase in the number of children enrolled in the state’s child care subsidy program.
  • Roughly 74 percent of children 3-5 are in an early childhood setting compared to 25 percent of children birth to 2.
  • Seventy-four percent of child care centers participating in the child care subsidy program were found to have mediocre quality on environmental rating scales and only 7 percent of licensed child care programs met NAEYC accreditation standards or equivalent.

THE BENEFITS AND CHALLENGES OF ADMINISTERING STATE PRE-KINDERGARTEN IN CHILD CARE CENTERS

A Center Piece of the Prek Puzzle: Providing State Prekindergarten in Child Care Centers depicts the perspectives of child care center directors on the benefits and challenges of providing state-funded pre-kindergarten programs and examines state and local policies that could better support child care centers in this endeavor. This study by the National Women’s Law Center suggests that benefits of operating pre-kindergarten programs in child care centers include: potential to build full-day and full year programs, efficient use of community resources, infusion of new resources into child care programs, and spillover effects that benefit children, including infants and toddlers, that attend the center but are not enrolled in the pre-kindergarten program. Challenges faced by some child care centers include: securing adequate funding, recruiting and retaining qualified teachers, establishing close coordination with school districts, ensuring that all partners realize the importance of pre-kindergarten, and implementing appropriate curriculums, assessments, and other programming issues. Additionally the lack of a coordinated child care system in local communities was cited as a major challenge to operating pre-kindergarten programs in child care center. Recommendations for addressing some of these challenges include:

  • State funding for pre-kindergarten programs should be sufficient to cover the full range of expenses for implementing high-quality programs in child care centers.
  • Supports and incentives to help child care center teachers obtain necessary training and education should be available through the state pre-kindergarten program.
  • States can help promote collaboration and coordination between school districts and child care centers.

A MULTI-COUNTRY ANALYSIS OF THE ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF HIGH-QUALITY EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION

The United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) highlights findings from the Thematic Review of Early Childhood Education and Care Policy project launched by the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD). Twenty countries collaborated to identify key elements of successful early care and education policy across various countries throughout the world. In two separate reports Starting Strong: Early Childhood Education and Care and Starting Strong II, the task force identified the following key elements of successful early childhood policies: a coordinated systemic approach to child development, strong and equal partnerships with educational systems, universal access, substantial public investment in services and infrastructure, opportunities for all stakeholders to discuss needed quality improvements, appropriate training and work conditions for staff, systemic attention to data monitoring, stable resources and a long term agenda for research and evaluation. In Starting Strong II the task force also reveals common factors that shape early childhood policy across many countries and substantiates the need for greater access to early childhood services. These factors include: realization of the importance of supporting the early childhood stage of development, particularly for impoverished children and those with special needs; protection and encouragement of the primary role of parents and families in rearing children; and understanding the link between government investment, regulation, and supervision and the quality of ECEC programs.

TWO NEW REPORTS FROM NAEYC

Over the past 20 years the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) has provided evidence-based accreditation standards for early childhood program quality. According to NAEYC’s recent public policy report, Elevating the Field: Using NAEYC Early Childhood Program Accreditation to Support and Reach Higher Quality in Early Childhood Programs, these standards are being used in many states to bolster quality rating systems (QRS) and prekindergarten programs. The report highlights data showing the effectiveness of linking QRS to NAEYC Accreditation, which is done in 13 states. Additionally some states—District of Columbia, Kentucky, Maryland, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, and Vermont—offer incentives for programs to achieve NAEYC Accreditation. The report also reveals that some states embed NAEYC Accreditation within pre-kindergarten program standards as a means to establish higher program standards. Seven states—Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, and Missouri—link NAEYC Accreditation to pre-kindergarten funding. Additionally, the report reveals that both Arkansas and Maine offer tax credits to families that choose NAEYC accredited child care programs. To ensure the overall effectiveness of NAEYC Accreditation the report recommends that policymakers and other decision makers:

  • Ensure adequate financing to support aspects of quality, such as higher program standards and teacher preparation, and ongoing professional development.
  • Develop and support policies to provide financial incentives to programs that achieve national program accreditation.
  • Provide resources and technical assistance to help all programs meet and maintain the next higher level of QRS standards.

NAEYC has also compiled a compendium of early care and education state legislative developments that have occurred during the past legislative session. The report, State Early Care and Education Public Policy Developments, depicts state public policy developments in statewide commissions, early learning councils, paid family leave, health care, quality rating and improvement systems, professional development, public schools, child care subsidies, prekindergarten, after school programs, quality enhancements, child care licensing, model programs, and ballot measures. Some highlights from the report include:

  • Iowa provided $16 million dollars for the child care subsidy program to prevent the creation of a waiting list for child care assistance.
  • California approved $5 million dollars to provide full-day care for children participating in the state’s preschool program.
  • Minnesota allocated $500,000 dollars in one-time funding to provide grants to providers for quality improvements.

ZERO TO THREE FOCUSES ON INFANTS AND TODDLERS AND STATE POLICY

As part of their National Infant & Toddler Child Care Initiative, ZERO TO THREE has released three new reports: Infant/Toddler Early Learning Guidelines 2007, Designing Quality Rating Systems Inclusive of Infants and Toddlers, and Planning for the Child Care and Development Fund: Targeted Funds for Infants and Toddlers.

Infant/Toddler Early Learning Guidelines 2007 reviewed infant and toddler early learning guidelines (ELGs) in 17 states and three territories. The analysis examined infant and toddler ELGs structure and content, attention to diversity and inclusion, alignment to research, and appropriateness for target audiences. Findings revealed:

  • Most infant and toddler early learning guidelines are organized around key developmental domains such as physical, social, emotional, and cognitive.
  • Most infant and toddler early learning guidelines explicitly address cultural issues but vary in their attention to children with disabilities or other special needs.
  • There is great in variance in the degree to which the infant and toddler early learning guidelines reflect current research.
  • States continue to face challenges in making their infant and toddler early learning guidelines accessible to all of their target audience including limited English proficient parents and caregivers.

Designing Quality Rating Systems Inclusive of Infants and Toddlers offers suggestions to help states develop specific quality indicators for infant and toddler quality within their quality rating systems (QRS). The document addresses QRS standards, accountability measures, program and practitioner outreach and support, financial incentives, and parent/consumer education efforts. Suggestions include:

  • Across all quality rating system indicators, include standards that specifically address aspects of quality related to infants and toddlers such as requiring infant/toddler specific training or education and curricula or learning approaches are specific to infants and toddlers.
  • Ensure that quality rating system assessors have appropriate background, credentials, or training related to infant/toddler care.
  • Provide professional development and technical assistance trainings specific to infant/toddler care.
  • Offer scholarships or wage bonuses for providers achieving an Infant/Toddler Credential.

Planning for the Child Care and Development Fund: Targeted Funds for Infants and Toddlers recommends that state administrators assess the quality of infant-toddler child care in their state and then examine current and past usage of CCDBG infant and toddler targeted funds as well as the outcomes of these initiatives. The report urges states to look across government systems to identify gaps in supports for infants and toddlers and consider allocating funds within the context of an early childhood systems perspective.

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