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News Archive for 2009

Jul 2, 2009 (The Flint Journal, Flint, MI)
Poll shows that when it comes to children, Michigan taxpayers don't mind spending a little more
The Lake Research Partners' poll showed that 74 percent of Michiganders are in favor of investing in early childhood development even if it raises their taxes. According to the Lake Research Partners poll, half of Michiganders believe the state already spends too little on early childhood development and education; six percent said the state spends too much.

Jul 2, 2009 (ScienceDaily)
Report Calls For New Initiative To Improve Math Education For Preschoolers
To ensure that all children enter elementary school with the foundation they need for success, a major national initiative is needed to improve early childhood mathematics education, says a new report from the National Research Council. Opportunities for preschoolers to learn mathematics are currently inadequate, particularly for those in low-income groups, says the report, which is intended to inform the efforts of Head Start, state-funded preschool programs, curriculum developers, and teachers.

Jul 1, 2009 (The Bee, Portland, OR)
Now preschoolers, too, are immersed in Chinese in Woodstock
The Mandarin Immersion program at Woodstock Elementary School is nationally-recognized for its quality, and its continuity with other area schools.
The Yu Miao Chinese Immersion Preschool, at the former Our Lady of Sorrows School — just two blocks from Woodstock Elementary — offers an array of activities that help children learn Mandarin and gain skills in preparation for kindergarten. The preschool believes that just as young sprouts grow into great plants when given good nutrition and a good environment, so young children grow into great people when given good education within a caring context.

Jul 1, 2009 (Medill Reports, Washington, DC)
A tale of two preschool programs
Two programs, two departments, one goal: Give low-income children a head-start on their education by engaging the family in a subsidized preschool program. As the Even Start early childhood program lies on the chopping block, its close cousin, Head Start, is receiving billions in new stimulus funds.

Jun 30, 2009 (Wall Street Journal Market Watch)
As Many as 27,000 Children Cut From Preschool in New State Budget Plan
The latest budget proposed by the Illinois General Assembly cuts as many as 27,000 children -- most of them from low-income families -- from Preschool for All programs. High-quality preschools, like the programs funded through Preschool for All, provide valuable learning opportunities that far too many low-income children don't otherwise get.

Jun 30, 2009 (The Aurora Sentinel, Aurora, CO)
Colo. education officials take early step in setting new standards
Next, the State Board of Education and the Colorado Commission on Higher Education plan to implement the definition as mandated by a bill passed in 2008. The bill, titled "Preschool to Postsecondary Alignment," directed state agencies to create a plan to expose students to options for life after high school graduation.

Jun 29, 2009 (Star Tribune, Minneapolis, MN)
Editorial: Make preschool a funding priority
Scores show that talk alone isn't improving early learning.
What may be Minnesota's most important educational report card was issued earlier this month, and the marks weren't good. The fall 2008 results of a yearly school readiness assessment of new kindergartners were down from 2007 on all five aspects of development measured.

Jun 29, 2009 (PhysOrg.com)
Relationships Improve Student Success
Children with healthy attachment to teachers are able to control their emotions and are more socially competent and willing to take on challenging learning tasks in the classroom
When students are underachieving, school policymakers often examine class size, curriculum and funding, but University of Missouri researchers suggest establishing relationships may be a powerful and less expensive way to improve students' success. In a review of the research they show that students with positive attachments to their teachers and schools have higher grades and higher standardized test scores.

Jun 28, 2009 (The Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
Letter-to-the-editor: Early learning cuts dropouts and crime
Research shows that high-quality early learning is an effective strategy to increase graduation rates. Long-term studies of high-quality preschools have found that at-risk kids who do not attend these programs tend to drop out of high school and abuse illegal drugs. They are 70 percent more likely to be arrested for a violent crime by age 18 and five times more likely to be repeat offenders by age 27.

Jun 25, 2009 (The Mercury News, San Jose, CA)
Opinion: Preschool is a key to boosting graduation rates
The good news is that we know how to put our kids — and with them, our families, communities and economy — on the path to success. A new report by the RAND Corp. underscores what I have seen in almost four decades of working in education: We must start early.

Jun 24, 2009 (The Tennessean)
Some Nashville schools will test smaller class size
The plan calls for no more than 25 students per teacher in grades 10-12, 20 students per teacher in grades 4-9 and 15 students per teacher in prekindergarten through third.

Jun 24, 2009 (Oakdale-Lake Elmo Review, North St. Paul, MN)
Study evaluates school readiness in Minnesota
The Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) recently released results of its 2008 school readiness study, which has received some criticism by the Legislature for its data collection process and results analysis. This year's results show, based on information collected in 2008, that between 87 and 96 percent of 5-year-old children in the state were "in process" or "proficient" in physical development, the arts, personal and social development, language and literacy, and mathematical thinking, according to a press release from the MDE.

Jun 24, 2009 (The Repository & CantonRep.com, Canton, OH)
Preschool program faces ax from possible state budget cuts
The vote on the budget is Tuesday. If passed in its current form, [Early Learning Initiative] programs around Ohio would be phased out by Aug. 21.

Jun 23, 2009 (The Herald News, Fall River, MA)
State's early education chief visits BCC
The state commissioner of early education and care met with area childcare providers and preschool workers Tuesday at Bristol Community College to review and discuss new regulations scheduled to go into effect in January.

Jun 23, 2009 (The Tuscaloosa News, Tuscaloosa, AL)
Program helps Hispanics get a head start on kindergarten
The Hispanic Jumpstart program was started during summer 2008 by University of Alabama students Wilson Boardman, Laura Dover and Erin Shirley. The program prepares students who speak little English for a school in which English is the primary language.

Jun 23, 2009 (The Bay City Times, Bay City, MI)
Michigan poised to slash early childhood programs; local district concerned
While public schools around Michigan are adopting their 2009-10 budget before a July 1 deadline, the state continues to examine $410 million worth of reductions to education funding. Reductions include cuts of $110 in per-pupil funding and cuts to early childhood programs.

Jun 22, 2009 (The New Zealand Herald)
Preschools face loss of top teachers
Early childhood centres will have to sack some of their most experienced teachers next year because they have not completed a specialised course. The teachers do not have a diploma or a bachelor of teaching degree in early childhood education.

Jun 22, 2009 (Indiana Gazette, Indiana, PA)
Monday Q&A: Programs help children with early childhood learning
Elana Shively, of Indiana, works for the Keystone STARS program improving early childhood learning in day cares and schools. Keystone STARS is an initiative of the Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) to improve, support and recognize the continuous quality improvement efforts of early learning and school-age programs in Pennsylvania.

Jun 22, 2009 (Asbury Park Press)
Education commissioner reassures Berkeley officials about preschool funding
"Preschool is funded by the state," [State Education Commissioner Lucille E. Davy] told a group gathered at town hall during a forum on the full-day preschool program that Berkeley, as well as 86 other school districts in the state Department of Education "B" socioeconomic group, is required to provide beginning next year.

Jun 21, 2009 (Montgomery Advertiser)
Economy slows Alabama's pre-K plan
Last year, Gov. Bob Riley laid out an ambitious plan for expanding the state's renowned voluntary pre-K program to more than 20,000 of the state's 4-year-olds by 2011, but a sluggish economy is making it difficult to reach that goal.

Jun 20, 2009 (National Post, Toronto, Canada)
What's best for children?
Advocates of universal early learning programs say more is better at a younger age, provided there is the right balance of instruction and play. Detractors question the benefits of more government-funded pre-school for all, saying it makes more sense to focus on those children that need the extra help the most.

Jun 20, 2009 (Austin American-Statesman)
Perry vetoes pre-K expansion, college health change
Gov. Rick Perry vetoed 37 pieces of legislation Friday, including measures to hold pre-kindergarten programs to new standards, change the way students pay for health care at colleges and allow the City of Austin to restrict home prices near commuter rail stations.

Jun 19, 2009 (The Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
No one sure if aid helped kids learn
Audit can’t determine if program is working. $216 million spent to ensure tots prepared for kindergarten.
The state has spent more than $216 million on a program to help low-income children get kindergarten-ready, without any concrete proof it's working, state auditors have found. The problem, they said, is "the program does not track how well children served through the program actually perform in kindergarten."

Jun 19, 2009 (The Morning Call, Allentown, PA)
Opinion: Early education benefits economy, quality of life in Pennsylvania
Business leaders and law enforcement agree that investing in the state's early childhood education programs, such as Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts, Head Start (state supplemental funds), Keystone STARS, Child Care Works, Early Intervention and Nurse-Family Partnership, is a highly effective and cost-efficient strategy to set many communities on a more prosperous path. A recent Cornell study shows that for every dollar Pennsylvania invests in early childhood programs, more than $2 is circulated throughout our local economies through employment and purchasing of goods and services.

Jun 19, 2009 (Chattanooga Times Free Press)
Tennessee: Hoping for better returns
For the first time in the Tennessee Education Lottery's five-year existence, spending on HOPE scholarships and the state's pre-K program outpaced lottery profits.

Jun 18, 2009 (The Brunswick Beacon, Shallotte, NC)
House recommends $5 million cut to Smart Start, future consolidation of services
The N.C. House of Representatives' budget for 2009-2010 includes a $5 million cut in Smart Start funds, less than the $15 million cut proposed by the N.C. Senate. It also includes a provision to study consolidating all programs related to young children within a year.

Jun 16, 2009 (The Windsor Star, Ontario, Canada)
Ont. aims to blend kindergarten, daycare
Ontario is moving one step closer to full-day kindergarten after a much-anticipated report recommended sweeping multibillion-dollar changes to daycare and early education in the province. Under the proposed framework, parents of four- and five-year-olds would have the option of enrolling their children in full-day programs that blend learning and daycare.

Jun 16, 2009 (The Denver Post)
Colorado child-care costs high
Enrollment falling
Child care in Colorado is among the most expensive in the nation, with the average price for two kids costing more than most people's mortgage, according to a report released today. But findings about high child-care costs shed light on why many private preschools and day-care facilities are now seeing a drop in enrollment.

Jun 16, 2009 (Ruidoso News, Ruidoso, NM)
Column: Pre-K program receives a passing grade
More than 67 percent of New Mexico Pre-K children showed a nearly 50 percent improvement across the board, the LFC [Legislative Finance Committee] notes. It also gave the program high marks for having the National Institute for Early Education Research conduct an evaluation.

Jun 15, 2009 (Newsday)
LI school districts stand to lose state pre-K money
Thousands of additional 4- and 5-year-olds on Long Island could be getting free preschool classes if the school districts where they live had chosen to take state money earmarked for the service, according to a new report that recommends expanding future access through greater cooperation between the public and private sectors.

Jun 15, 2009 (The Blade, Toledo, OH)
Kids in 'low-literacy' homes to get help
That's why Read For Literacy will embark on a three-year demonstration project, "Creating Young Readers," its first effort to include children. Preschoolers will be paired with individual volunteers, who will read to them much as the adults in their lives would if they could.

Jun 14, 2009 (The Plain Dealer, Cleveland, OH)
Opinion: Investing in early-childhood programs would yield dividends for Ohio
The investment is in early-childhood development, ensuring that all kids start life healthy, well-nourished and equipped by the time they reach kindergarten with the emotional and cognitive skills required to perform well and achieve. A growing body of evidence clearly demonstrates that our society can make few investments that provide the same high returns, in the short term and over the long run.

Jun 11, 2009 (The Daily News, Memphis, TN)
Lawmakers Debate Funding Governor's Pre-K Program
Future funding for Tennessee's pre-kindergarten program is becoming a sticking point among Democrats and Republicans as the legislative session ends.

Jun 10, 2009 (The News & Observer, Raleigh, NC)
Opinion: Developing children and the economy
At the same time, we have a North Carolina industry that in 2007 created 47,000 jobs and generated $1.77 billion in revenue -- more than the Panthers, Hurricanes, Bobcats and all spectator sports combined. That industry, the state's early childhood programs, is a vital part of our economy.

Jun 9, 2009 (ScienceDaily)
Self-regulation Game Predicts Kindergarten Achievement
Early childhood development researchers have discovered that a simple, five-minute self-regulation game not only can predict end-of-year achievement in math, literacy and vocabulary, but also was associated with the equivalent of several months of additional learning in kindergarten. Their results were published in a recent issue of the journal, Developmental Psychology.

Jun 8, 2009 (The Washington Post)
The Push for Preschool
Although many supporters of public preschool want it to be offered free to all students regardless of income, cost-conscious states have made it a priority for students from low-income families, who tend to lag behind their wealthier peers in measures of academic achievement.

Jun 6, 2009 (Statesman Journal, Salem, OR)
Opinion: Head Start is vital to state, children
Legislators should hold a few simple truths in mind as they decide whether to adopt proposed funding cuts for Oregon Head Start prekindergarten — the state's cost-effective preschool program for 3- and 4-year-olds living in poverty. Children growing up now cannot wait for Oregon's economy to rebound. Head Start saves taxpayers money and closes the achievement gap.

Jun 4, 2009 (The Seattle Times)
Opinion: Washington's missed opportunity for school readiness
Washington's decision-makers missed an exciting opportunity this year to address what is a serious learning gap: only 50 percent of our young children are ready for kindergarten.

Jun 3, 2009 (The Times Leader, Wilkes-Barre, PA)
Generals: Youths unfit for military
Retired military leaders, Pa. lawmakers to discuss claim that 75 percent of people 17-24 unqualified for service.
The future strength of America's military may rest with our pre-school children. And unless things change, that worries a group of senior retired military officers who foresee a generation that is incapable of defending the nation.

Jun 3, 2009 (The Danville Register & Bee, Danville, VA)
Nationally, statistics show Head Start programs work
A national Head Start impact study by the Society for Research in Child Development for the Department of Health and Human Services found evidence of the program's benefits on low-income families. The study found nationally, Head Start reduced the achievement gap by 45 percent in pre-reading skills between Head Start children and the national average for all 3- and 4-year-olds.

Jun 3, 2009 (San Antonio Express-News)
Editorial: Invest in early childhood ed
The City of San Antonio recently awarded new contracts for its Head Start Program, and the Texas Legislature approved $25 million for a grant program to allow school districts to expand their half-day pre-k programs to full-day if they want. The bill, however, carries a stipulation that a school district would have to use at least 20 percent of the grant funds to contract with one or more community providers.

Jun 3, 2009 (CBS News)
Recession May Have Lasting Impact On Kids
Report Predicts The Recession Will Erase Years Of Improvements Made In Children's Lives
The current recession could be over by the year's end, but its impact on children will continue through next year and may virtually erase decades of improvements in American children's well-being, according to a new report by the Foundation for Child Development. The recession's impacts -- especially on poor and very young children -- could be profound unless policies are changed to help strengthen families in times of hardship and to acknowledge the importance of early childhood education, child advocates said Wednesday.

Jun 2, 2009 (The Denver Post)
Inclusion for preschoolers with disabilities
Until this year, Denver Public Schools would have placed Arianna with other preschool kids with disabilities in a self-contained classroom staffed by special-education teachers and therapists. This year the district tried out a pilot program to include 50 kids with disabilities in six of its preschools, and Arianna is in one of them.

Jun 2, 2009 (U.S. News & World Report)
TV Interferes With Infants' Language Development
Television reduces verbal interaction between parents and infants, which could delay children's language development, says a U.S. study that challenges claims that certain infant-targeted DVDs actually benefit youngsters.

Jun 2, 2009 (WLS, Chicago, IL)
Stop the Violence: The Preschool Problem
Some believe access to high-quality early education may be the key to helping stop the violence. The problem is those children considered to have the greatest need for preschool are the least likely to be enrolled.

Jun 2, 2009 (KFVS12, Cape Girardeau, MO)
Legislators leave early childhood programs in limbo
The Early Childhood Development programs could be cut out of the budget all together if Governor Pat Quinn and legislators can't find a way to balance the state's budget. The Williamson County coordinator for Pre-K estimates that statewide more than 100,000 kids rely on the program.

Jun 1, 2009 (The Washington Post)
A Changing Student Body
Report Shows Record Enrollment, More-Diverse Population
A study tracking a group of children born in 2001 found that those living in poverty are less likely to have someone read to them, tell them stories or sing to them. At age 4, children in families at or above the poverty line were better able to recognize letters, numbers and shapes.

Jun 1, 2009 (The Record, Hackensack, NJ)
Budget crunch delays preschool expansion
Governor Corzine's preschool expansion plan — a major part of the new school funding law that won constitutional approval by the state Supreme Court last week — is on hold, with no funds for new classes included in next year's recession-crunched budget.

May 31, 2009 (The Dallas Morning News)
Frisco preschool uses drama skills to enhance curriculum
A heightened test-oriented mentality has limited the development of organized drama classes, said Ellen Frede, the co-director of the National Institute for Early Education Research. She advocates dramatic activities, but reminds that children still need to play for two-thirds of their day.

May 29, 2009 (The Des Moines Register)
53 preschools launch this fall, but state misses goal
Another 53 Iowa schools will launch preschool programs in the upcoming school year despite a 23 percent reduction in state money that was promised two years ago, education officials announced Thursday.

May 27, 2009 (Inland Valley daily Bulletin, Ontario, CA)
Study urges state to invest more in early childhood education programs
The final report in the RAND Corporation's series on California's preschool system confirms that early childhood education is a critical part of K-12 reform. The study released today by the nonprofit research organization also shows how California can invest in a high-quality early learning system to help close the state's achievement gap.

May 23, 2009 (Times Colonist, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada)
Self-control helps kids be own boss
Parents can help foster independence with a little guidance, common sense
The sooner parents can instil a sense of "executive function" in their children, the better, psychologists say. Helping even very young children develop ways to regulate their own reactions and emotions has been linked to doing better in everything from school work to getting along with others.

May 23, 2009 (Newsweek)
'Sesame Street'
The show that counts
But Sesame Street is no ordinary nonprofit. It is, arguably, the most important children's program in the history of television. No show has affected the way we think about education, parenting, childhood development and cultural diversity, both in the United States and abroad, more than Big Bird and friends.

May 22, 2009 (The Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA)
Editorial: Early-learning veto hurts neediest kids the most
Certainly it would be better if all children had the opportunity to attend good preschools, but the $1 billion-a-year price tag is not affordable at this time. The state needs to shift its budget priorities and phase this in over many years, just as it plans to do with other basic education reforms.

May 22, 2009 (The Denver Post)
Editorial: Getting off to a good start
The Denver Preschool Program should be commended for its progress in enrolling lower-income families in good schools.
Today, we're happy to report the Denver Preschool Program now has 5,100 children enrolled — well ahead of projections. Voters in 2006 took a leap of faith when they narrowly approved a sales tax for the program, deciding that every $10 purchase in Denver would include a 1.2-cent tax for the preschool program.

May 22, 2009 (The White Mountain Independent, Show Low, AZ)
Poll: Arizona voters oppose politicians tinkering with funds designated for infants and toddlers
A new statewide poll released recently reveals that six out of 10 Arizonans would vote "no" on a measure opening the door for the Arizona Legislature to redirect funds from the state's early childhood education and health program known as First Things First. The release of this poll comes on the heels of a ground-breaking report by Save the Children showing that Arizona is among the bottom five states in preparing children for elementary school.

May 21, 2009 (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
Raising kids with global intelligence
School fills void of multilingual lessons
According to Mary Lynn Redmond, director of foreign language education at Wake Forest University, young children pick up a foreign language easier than older children and adults. "[Children in] elementary grades and preschool are very much in development stages. Their linguistic, cognition and emotional ability changes over time," she said, emphasizing the teaching approach is more "playful" and conversational.

May 21, 2009 (The Washington Post)
Letter to the Editor: Is Universal Pre-K a Good Deal?
A Rand Corp. study in California found that children from all income strata attended poor-quality programs unless they could get into state-funded preschool. This says that government should help give families access to effective preschools.

May 21, 2009 (WSIL-TV 3 ABC, Carterville, IL)
Early Childhood Educators Fear Doomsday Budget
Staff at Illinois pre-schools are singing a sad tune after seeing the governor's plan to cut funding. If the state takes those funds away 100,000 Illinois children would be affected.

May 20, 2009 (The Star-Ledger)
Governor cancels most tax rebates to trim budget
The state would also raise income taxes on people earning $400,000 to $500,000 and those earning over $1 million and cancel the expansion of a preschool program as part of Gov. Jon Corzine's plan to close a multibillion-dollar budget gap, the treasurer said.

May 20, 2009 (Ars Technica)
Kids learn language from other kids
A new research study of children as they enter and leave preschool shows that they gain language skills and abilities not only from adults in their life who have mastered spoken language, but from their peers who are learning the concepts as well.
A new study, published in the journal Child Development by researchers from University of Virginia and Ohio State University demonstrates that classmates and peers play a role in the formation of both receptive (listening) and expressive (speaking) language skills. The researchers found that when a child's classmates had more advanced language skills, the child would be able to speak and understand words at a faster pace.

May 19, 2009 (The Thibodaux Daily Comet, Lafourche Parish, LA)
Column: Where do preschoolers learn most?
What we do know is that high-quality early childhood education has been proven to save up to $17 for every dollar it costs because it leads to better academic success, fewer special-education expenditures, greater chances for employment and productivity, and less risk of ending up in jail. We have known for decades that the key to school readiness and becoming a lifelong learner lies in the early experiences that help develop important qualities such as persistence, perseverance, curiosity, the capacity to tolerate frustration and the self-esteem to keep on trying even after making a mistake.

May 19, 2009 (Dayton Daily News, Dayton, OH)
$244M cut proposed for Ohio pre-K programs
Early childhood advocates say planned cuts to Ohio's pre-kindergarten programs will shortchange children at the most critical time in their development, but the Ohio Senate says it simply has no more money to offer.

May 19, 2009 (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
Gov. signs Wash. school reform plan
A plan to overhaul Washington's K-12 education system was signed into law Tuesday by Gov. Chris Gregoire, but she vetoed parts of the measure focusing on preschool and gifted education.

May 18, 2009 (The Chronicle Herald, Halifax, Canada)
Kids who learn math skills early have lasting advantage
Groundbreaking research showed parents how to teach concepts to toddlers
Two Wilfrid Laurier University professors have found that when parents play with their young children, they hardly spend any time teaching them about amounts and numbers. Yet if parents knew how to talk about math concepts, they'd give their children an advantage that would last all through their school years.

May 16, 2009 (The Commercial Dispatch, Columbus, MS)
Early foundation: Pre-k gives students much-needed boost
The early bird catches the worm, but Mississippi remains one of the few states in the nation without a state-funded pre-kindergarten program, which likely would go a long way toward moving the state up from the bottom rankings of educational progress.

May 15, 2009 (The Republican, Springfield, MA)
Editorial: Early education pays dividends
While some portions of Gov. Deval L. Patrick's ambitious eight-year education reform proposals might have to wait - including a plan to make community colleges free for all high school graduates - the push for universal preschool education must not lose momentum, even in the face of the economic downturn. Statistics show that children are 30 percent more likely to graduate from high school if they have an early education experience, according to John B. Kagan, president and chief executive officer of Square One.

May 15, 2009 (The Washington Post)
Opinion: Slow the Preschool Bandwagon
Underlying all this activity and interest is the proposition that government -- state and federal -- should pay for at least a year of preschool for every American 4-year-old. One rationale is to boost overall educational achievement. Another is to close school-readiness gaps between the haves and have-nots.

May 15, 2009 (The Early Ed Watch blog (New America Foundation))
Opinion: Fixing Checker Finn's Preschool Bandwagon
Children participating in CPC were less likely to be held back in school, to be identified in special education, or to drop out than their control group peers, and they also have better outcomes as adults. It's hard to argue that such a program-which was run by the Chicago Public Schools, hardly an agency known for its unique effectiveness-isn't scalable given sufficient public resources.

May 14, 2009 (The State Journal, Charleston, WV)
Opinion: State Scores Well in Serving Pre-K Children
Are you ready to receive some really good news? West Virginia is one of the national leaders in providing preschool opportunities.

May 14, 2009 (KOMU-TV8, Columbia, MO)
Education Bill Passed
Lawmakers trimmed controversial programs like anti-bullying and preschool quality rating system from the bill. Supporters say the bill encourages high schoolers to stay in school, but opponents say early childhood education needs more funding.

May 14, 2009 (The Columbus Dispatch)
Advocates, kids fight for early education aid
Programs for poor face cuts under state budget
If state leaders want to improve Ohio's education system, they shouldn't be slashing $244 million in state aid to early-care and education programs for low-income youngsters, advocates say. Katie Kelly, director of Groundwork, a statewide coalition of early-care advocates, said the cuts will mean that fewer at-risk children are prepared to start school and will lead to higher costs for the state down the road.

May 12, 2009 (The Janesville Gazette, Janesville, WI)
Opinion: Rating system could improve child care in state
We should make sure that the care and education we are investing our public dollars in is of high quality. Every dollar we invest in high-quality early childhood programs for low-income children yields big returns. Kids in high-quality programs do better, dramatically reducing the need for investment in remedial services later on.

May 12, 2009 (Child Care Exchange)
4 good reasons why ECE is not just important, but essential
The brain research argument is that the early years of a child's life, from the prenatal period onward, are when the brain is developing and growing faster than any other time. This period is critical and sets the stage for all of later learning and adult functioning.

May 11, 2009 (The Grand Rapids Press, Grand Rapids, MI)
Half-day pre-kindergarten programs enjoy reprieve from Michigan per-pupil funding cuts
While fourth-graders toil over long division and 10th-graders immerse themselves in Algebra II, the 5-year-olds are drawing pictures, putting together puzzles and lining up for recess. But the pre-kindergarten, also known as Young 5s or developmental kindergarten in other districts, nearly met its demise after legislators threatened to slash funding.

May 11, 2009 (The Oregonian)
Program launched to improve early childhood education
A new statewide program aimed at improving the education of Oregon's young children will give money to early child care and education workers who complete college courses or training. The program -- launched today by a partnership of six groups -- will use nearly $3 million in federal stimulus dollars, as well as private donations to pay for the incentives.

May 9, 2009 (Hattiesburg American, Hattiesburg, MS)
Opinion: Investing in early education: The building blocks for success
At a time when the stock market is slumping, Mississippians are making the smartest investment possible in an uncertain economy: providing a better start in life for some of our most vulnerable children.

May 8, 2009 (Los Angeles Times)
Opinion: Prop. 1D isn't worth it
California voters supported Proposition 10 not simply because it was a humane investment in society's youngest and most vulnerable members, but also because it made economic sense to invest early and prevent costly problems down the line.

May 8, 2009 (Education Week)
Obama Budget Proposes Increase for Education
Mr. Obama also is seeking $500 million in federal matching funds that would encourage states and districts to devote a larger share of their Title I money to prekindergarten programs. And he has asked for $300 million to help states better integrate early-childhood programs.

May 7, 2009 (Post-Bulletin, Rochester, MN)
Opinion: Early childhood, education deserves more than 1 percent
Early care and education is literally the foundation for all subsequent school success. Many national studies show the value of quality early learning experiences, and an important Minnesota study conducted by the state Department of Human Services demonstrated that children in quality child care are measurably more "ready for K" than are children who lack that opportunity.

May 6, 2009 (Austin American-Statesman)
Support for pre-k program is there, but is the money?
The push in the Texas House of Representatives for full-day prekindergarten classes had the weight of 100 members behind it before a vote was ever taken. [But] it will be up to the 10-member conference committee negotiating the budget to say if the state will make a major new investment in prekindergarten.

May 6, 2009 (American Libraries Association)
Interactive Ways to Encourage Your Children to Read
Reading gets an interactive twist through teaching tactics such as games, DVDs, multi-platform publishing and animal-friendly programming
The answer is to integrate, says Shannon Riley-Ayers, assistant research professor for the National Institute of Early Education. Absorbing written information doesn't have to come only by the way of books; you can promote literacy to your children by engaging in various hands-on activities, many of which are available or sponsored through your local libraries.

May 1, 2009 (KTUU TV, Anchorage, AK)
Educators want to spend stimulus money on pre-K programs
The Anchorage School Board will look at how to spend about $60 million in federal stimulus money over the next two years on Monday, and some educators would like to see the money used to develop pre-kindergarten programs.

Apr 28, 2009 (WHNT TV, Huntsville, AL)
State to study effectiveness of pre-K program starting next month
The state Department of Education will be starting a new evaluation of the effectiveness of Tennessee's voluntary pre-K program next month. The five-year, $6 million study is being funded by a grant from U.S. Department of Education's Institute of Education Science.

Apr 28, 2009 (The Washington Post)
Younger students show gains in math, reading skills
The nation's 9- and 13-year-olds are doing better in math and reading than in the early 1970s, but average scores for students approaching high school graduation haven't budged, according to test results released today.

Apr 28, 2009 (Voice of San Diego.org)
In One Pocket and Out the Other for Preschool Funding
Despite solid evidence that preschool can have lasting effects on children, even curbing dropout rates and slimming the achievement gap between disadvantaged students and their classmates, there is no uniform system for funding it. The fates of different preschools and their different programs will vary dramatically depending on where they get their money, and whether they can find ways to tap the stimulus.

Apr 28, 2009 (Houston Chronicle)
Editorial: Learning to count
No teacher can wrangle an infinite number of 4-year-olds
Of the 38 states that sponsor pre-K classes, Texas is the only one that doesn't cap student-to-teacher ratios. Pre-K programs, including Head Start, are among the best, most cost-effective ways to propel disadvantaged kids into academic success — but studies show that pre-K works its magic only when the program is of high quality, with trained teachers and a low student-to-teacher ratio.

Apr 27, 2009 (The Salt Lake Tribune)
Editorial: Kids on computers
Utah legislators and educators should look closely at an early-childhood learning program created by a law written and promoted by the company the state is now paying $2.5 million to provide preschoolers with computer software.

Apr 27, 2009 (Athens Banner-Herald, Athens, GA)
Tests to pass even for pre-K students
[Pre-K teacher Vickie] Floyd has kept track of Jamarion and the 19 other students in her class since August, through portfolios of their work and other brief, two- to five-minute assessments. In two weeks, she'll review some of the data collected throughout the year to help parents and other administrators decide whether Jamarion or other students need seven more weeks of school.

Apr 26, 2009 (The New York Times)
Scrambling to Enroll More Preschoolers
Private nursery schools have enjoyed robust enrollment in recent years, often having long waiting lists in many suburbs around the region. But directors at private nursery schools said they are concerned that the faltering economy and listless real estate market were contributing to a dip in applications and enrollments.

Apr 26, 2009 (The Oklahoman)
School districts get a head start on providing full-day kindergarten
Maps for kids renovations, temporary buildings to aid in process
Although school districts have until 2011 to provide full-day kindergarten, many already are there or are on their way, a state official said. To date, the state has 24 districts not offering any full-day sections.

Apr 25, 2009 (The Philadelphia Inquirer)
Editorial: Obese at age 4
More than half a million 4-year-olds are obese, and the numbers are even more startling among children of color, according to a government study published this month in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine. The troubling findings also show that young children are becoming obese before they enroll in school, which is when they are more likely to eat unhealthful meals and vending-machine snacks and soda.

Apr 25, 2009 (The Salt Lake Tribune)
Controversial early-ed program up and running
Education » Some still view computer learning game as unproven.
Children ages 4 and 5 are supposed to use the program for 15 minutes a day, five days a week, until they enter kindergarten. A cast of cartoon characters guide kids through short exercises about counting, sorting, letter sounds and vocabulary, among other things.

Apr 23, 2009 (The Star Press, Muncie, IN)
With no state-sponsored preschool, kids are starting behind
As one of 12 states without state-sponsored preschool, Indiana is missing the mark when it comes to improving education and student achievement.

Apr 22, 2009 (Catalyst Chicago)
More than just a welcome mat
Illinois has won national recognition for its Preschool for All program, and ranks first in the nation for providing preschool to 3-year-olds. A new agenda is now on the horizon: Find and enroll youngsters who are the most at-risk of academic failure
Experts say all children can benefit from a high-quality early learning program to prepare them for academic success in elementary school and beyond. A state advisory board has recently crafted a set of recommendations for the state's newest agenda: to find and enroll those children who are considered the most at-risk and would benefit the most from preschool, but who are often hard to reach for a variety of reasons.

Apr 21, 2009 (The New York Times)
Column: Swimming without a suit
It is not that we are failing across the board. There are huge numbers of exciting education innovations in America today — from new modes of teacher compensation to charter schools to school districts scattered around the country that are showing real improvements based on better methods, better principals and higher standards. The problem is that they are too scattered — leaving all kinds of achievement gaps between whites, African-Americans, Latinos and different income levels.

Apr 20, 2009 (Los Angeles Times)
Propositions 1D, 1E ask voters to think again
Citizens passed taxes to fund early childhood and mental health programs, specifically. Now lawmakers want the money for California's general fund instead.
In 1998, Hollywood actor and filmmaker Rob Reiner championed the California Children and Families First Act, which put a 50-cent-a-pack tax on cigarettes to fund an early childhood development program. Proposition 1D would shift nearly $1.7 billion over the next five years -- about 70% of the cigarette tax's revenue during that period -- to help balance the state general fund.

Apr 20, 2009 (The Blade, Toledo, OH)
Editorial: Preserve pre-K programs
Preschool programs funded by some states are in danger of becoming casualties of the recession, with long-term ramifications to the education of American children. Such cutbacks may solve immediate budget problems but canceling them comes at a high cost too.

Apr 16, 2009 (The Commercial Appeal, Memphis, TN)
Opinion: Let's wisely invest stimulus funds in kids
Early childhood programs erect basis for progress, says Deb Moberly, and shouldn't be shunned for "shovel ready projects" on roads and bridges.
And for the skeptics, well-researched and objective findings of multiple studies clearly make a sound business case for investing in early childhood programs. For every $1 invested in quality early childhood programming, $17 will be saved in social and justice services by the time young children reach adulthood.

Apr 16, 2009 (The New York Times)
Column: How to Raise Our I.Q.
Professor Nisbett strongly advocates intensive early childhood education because of its proven ability to raise I.Q. and improve long-term outcomes. Professor Nisbett suggests putting less money into Head Start, which has a mixed record, and more into these intensive childhood programs.

Apr 15, 2009 (Chicago Tribune)
Little pre-K access for Latinos
Kids behind at start of school, advocates say
Latino families with young children constitute a significant portion of the nation's population and future workforce, but several studies show those children are less likely to enroll in early education programs because of various barriers including language, cost, transportation and a shortage of pre-kindergarten spots in poor neighborhoods. For those and other reasons, Latino children lag well behind white children in reading and math skills when they start kindergarten.

Apr 14, 2009 (The Oklahoman)
Editorial: Good start: Pre-K efforts shine in tough economy
Oklahoma's leadership in early childhood education looks better than ever in light of the recession's impact. That's good news, because it shows the rest of world we understand the importance of giving kids from poor backgrounds a fighting chance in those critical grade school years.

Apr 14, 2009 (Holland Sentinel, Holland, MI)
Opinion: Economy requires new thinking about early childhood education
Early childhood programs are critical assets to economic development and quality of life. They are firmly linked to our success in the global marketplace.

Apr 14, 2009 (Congressional Quarterly)
Initiative for New Mothers Has a Healthy Outlook on Hill
A proposal from President Obama to create a nurse home-visitation program for first-time mothers has won bipartisan support in Congress, and proponents are optimistic that it could receive funding this year. Under the program, nurses would provide home care to low-income mothers-to-be and to the new mothers and their infants, at a cost of $8.6 billion over 10 years.

Apr 13, 2009 (The Wenatchee World, Wenatchee, WA)
Some spending cuts would cost us more
Ceasing programs that are working — programs that help young children come to school ready to learn — will hurt all of us in the long run. It's cheaper to provide disadvantaged children with early education in the first five years than it is to re-teach them 10 years later, or to incarcerate.

Apr 13, 2009 (Erie Times-News, Erie, PA)
Preschool programs expand
The Pennsylvania Department of Education has been taking baby steps toward universal preschool for two years. The state supplements federal Head Start funding and pays for preschool for additional children through its Pre-K Counts program.

Apr 13, 2009 (Anchorage Daily News)
Editorial: Taking care of our kids
Good legislation still on table
The Legislature has the opportunity to address a gap in Alaska's education system -- a lack of preschool programs in public schools. The governor's budget includes money for a state-funded pilot program with preschool for 500 Alaska children.

Apr 12, 2009 (The New York Times)
Corzine Still Focused on Preschools
In a year of declining state revenues and steep cuts to many programs, Gov. Jon S. Corzine will not be able to fulfill his wish to bring all-day preschool to nearly every public school district in the state. But with help from the federal stimulus package, he is proposing to expand the program into more districts in New Jersey, one of the few states in the country even considering a growth in preschool this year.

Apr 12, 2009 (The News & Observer, Raleigh, NC)
Senate budget shifts from NC education constants
The changes, if approved, could jettison North Carolina's preschool program from one of the nation's best to among the worst, said Steve Barnett, co-director of the National Institute for Early Education Research at Rutgers University. "When you take educators out of the picture, you're asking for disaster," said Barnett, who co-authored an annual report last week praising More at Four for its high level of quality.

Apr 12, 2009 (The Denver Post)
Opinion: We can't sacrifice early childhood education
Despite these challenging and politically contentious times, lieutenant governors from both parties and from every region of the country are in agreement about at least one investment that states cannot afford to sacrifice -- early education. Few investments these days offer a guaranteed return, but quality pre-kindergarten is one of them.

Apr 12, 2009 (The Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
Opinion: Keeping pre-k’s mix of income levels will ensure quality
It is not in the best interest of Georgia's families for the state to set an income cutoff that prevents children from participating in Georgia pre-k. Furthermore, repeating grades and dropping out of high school, two long-term impacts that quality preschool helps mitigate, are problems that impact all social classes.

Apr 11, 2009 (Hattiesburg American, Hattiesburg, MS)
Opinion: Ready kids, ready schools
The evidence is powerful: Young children perform better, learn more and acquire skills that will carry them into adulthood when they move smoothly and seamlessly from home to child care to preschool to kindergarten. The current system, a hodgepodge of uncoordinated care and schooling doesn't effectively take advantage of children's key learning years, ages 3 to 8.

Apr 11, 2009 (Citizen-Times, Asheville, NC)
State eyes stimulus money to replace child care funds
The $2 billion for child care in the federal economic stimulus package is supposed to help workers find a safe place for their children while they try to look for or hold onto increasingly scarce jobs. But if the spending plan that passed the state Senate last week becomes law, most of North Carolina's share of the money will go to replace part of the state funding for an existing program, More at Four.

Apr 9, 2009 (The News & Observer, Raleigh, NC)
More at four may face 'disaster'
Just this week, a preschool think tank called the National Institute for Early Education Research singled out More at Four for praise, naming North Carolina and Alabama as states with preschool programs that met all the group's criteria for quality, including teacher education, class size and curriculum. But the report, released Wednesday, came with a warning that North Carolina needed to spend more on More at Four or risk declines in quality.

Apr 9, 2009 (Tampa Tribune)
Pre-K quality lacking
Florida's voluntary prekindergarten program remains among the poorest nationally when rated on money spent and quality, says a national report card released Wednesday. With more parents taking advantage of the taxpayer-funded program, however, the state rates second for access in the annual Preschool Yearbook issued by the National Institute for Early Education Research.

Apr 9, 2009 (WBIR TV-10, Knoxville, TN)
Nation's top educator warn states against taking money from their youngest students
The nation's top educator headed back to class Wednesday warning states against taking money from their youngest students. "We're not going to balance the budget on the backs of our young children. We just can't afford to do this," said Secretary of Education Arne Duncan.

Apr 9, 2009 (The Tennessean)
Tennessee pre-K gets high marks
Programs' funding hasn't suffered
Tennessee's state-funded pre-kindergarten initiative has once again been lauded as a national leader, a study released Wednesday said. The nearly perfect score — Tennessee missed one out of 10 accountability measures — was assigned by the National Institute for Early Education Research, a unit of the Graduate School of Education at Rutgers University in New Jersey.

Apr 9, 2009 (Montgomery Advertiser)
Governor wants funding increased for pre-K
Gov. Bob Riley is asking for $3 million more than the state budgeted last year for Alabama's First Class Voluntary Pre-K program. The additional $3 million still is not enough to adequately fund pre-kindergarten programs in Alabama, the governor said.

Apr 8, 2009 (The New York Times)
Recession Stalls State-Financed Pre-Kindergarten, but Federal Money May Help
One of the most drastic expansions of public education in recent American history unfolded quietly in this decade, as dozens of states added free pre-kindergarten classes to their traditional kindergarten to high school offerings.

Apr 8, 2009 (The Wall Street Journal)
Playing Nice: Teachers Learn to Help Kids Behave in School
Daily playtimes are a centerpiece of the curriculum used in Ms. Randle's Head Start classroom, "Tools of the Mind" -- which incorporates training in "executive function," or the mental ability to control impulses and focus on new information, into children's routine.

Apr 8, 2009 (Los Angeles Times)
Preschool enrollment and spending up amid concerns about economy's impact
WASHINGTON (AP) — The recession could spell trouble for the nation's youngest schoolchildren, despite positive trends in spending and enrollment for state pre-K programs, according to a report released Wednesday. At least nine states are likely to make cuts to pre-kindergarten programs including some of the biggest — California, Florida and New York, said Steve Barnett, one of the authors of the annual report on state-funded preschool.

Apr 8, 2009 (Kansas City InfoZine, Kansas City, MO)
States Fall Behind in Preschool Quality, Report Finds
Co-Director of the National Institute for Early Education Research Steve Barnett said preschool enrollment has increased by more than 108,000 children over the past two years, bringing the number of children aged 4 and under enrolled in state-funded preschool programs to 1.1 million. "When it comes to quality education like that, some states offer little more than babysitting and sometimes they are in states right next door," he said.

Apr 3, 2009 (The Daily Journal, San Mateo, CA)
Making universal preschool a reality
Expanding educational access and offering quality learning programs for children 5 and younger will take collaboration, dedicated funds and a plan with benchmarks according to educational officials participating in a universal preschool panel discussion yesterday. Maintaining consistent quality and access is complicated by the variety of programs offered through the state, explained E3 Institute Director Yolanda Garcia.

Apr 2, 2009 (The News & Observer, Raleigh, NC)
Opinion: Easy does it with early childhood changes
Challenges for N.C. children
North Carolina leaders have for some time recognized the critical role of early education in improving the later lives of young children. High-quality early education programs reduce the need for later remedial services, increase completion rates of high school and higher education, lower the rate of "retention in grade" and generally help those children who participate to lead more productive lives. The General Assembly is considering changes in our services to young children that will undo years of progress that have led to improved school performance.

Mar 31, 2009 (WILX, Lansing, MI)
Push For Universal Preschool
"Preschool gives the children a jump start," says Rep. Alma Wheeler Smith, (D) Salem. That's why she and Rep. Rebekah Warren, (D) Ann Arbor, are pushing for universal preschool in Michigan.

Mar 30, 2009 (Times Herald-Record, Middletown, NY)
State budget cuts threaten autism services for children
Pine Bush mom fears effect on son
Early intervention and preschool special education programs were created to solve problems for children before they enter the public school system. Successful early intervention can decrease school failure and crime and increase economic productivity, according to the National Institute for Early Education Research.

Mar 30, 2009 (Akron Beacon Journal, Akron, OH)
Helping kindergarten transition
Public schools in Ohio and across the nation need to do more to help youngsters make the move from preschool to kindergarten, according to a report released today by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and the Education Commission of the States.

Mar 29, 2009 (The Grand Rapids Press, Grand Rapids, MI)
Educators explore kindergarten standards
How do you know if a child is ready for kindergarten? That's a loaded question among educators, but the Ready For School Council in the Holland-Zeeland area is determined to come up with a common definition since Michigan school officials have not.

Mar 27, 2009 (Education Week)
Stimulus Providing Big Funding Boost For Early Childhood
Programs ramping up, with eye on expansion
Advocates for early-childhood education are taking President Obama at his word that the billions of dollars for programs like Head Start included in the recent economic-stimulus package are merely a "down payment" on future expansion. So, while other education officials are weighing the risks of starting new programs with federal money that may dry up in two years, early-childhood programs are ramping up for expansion after years of being underfunded, their supporters say.

Mar 26, 2009 (The Star-Ledger)
New formula for funding N.J. schools ruled legal
Judge's decision could end the state's Abbott program
A Superior Court judge declared the state's school-funding formula constitutional yesterday, ruling in favor of the Corzine administration and against advocates for poor students. The decision could abolish the controversial Abbott program, which has sent billions of state tax dollars to 31 low-income districts including Elizabeth, Perth Amboy and Newark.

Mar 25, 2009 (Winston-Salem Journal)
Editorial: Preserve early education
A North Carolina winning streak, longer than any enjoyed by our basketball teams, is in serious danger of ending this year. After almost 50 years of increasing support for early education, the General Assembly is on the brink of cutting what taxpayers do for our youngest students.

Mar 25, 2009 (The City Paper, Nashville, TN)
Lawmakers pressed to preserve Bredesen's pre-K budget
Volunteers from across the state are asking legislators Thursday to protect state pre-kindergarten education funding. Gov. Bredesen said in his budget recommendation to the legislature earlier this week that he wants funding for pre-K education, as well as the state's Basic Education Plan (BEP), to be protected for the next four years.

Mar 24, 2009 (The Wall Street Journal)
Goal of preschool for all tests education system
But the current economic crisis may blunt state-level efforts to broaden access to preschool. Even in better times, building a "universal" preschool system would likely be a slow and expensive proposition, given the patchwork nature of what currently exists.

Mar 24, 2009 (Austin American-Statesman, Austin, TX)
Texas measure would pay for full-day preschool
Texas currently pays for half-day preschool, widely thought to boost student performance in later years, for qualifying children. But under a bill winding through the Legislature, the state would pay for schools to offer full-day programs.

Mar 22, 2009 (The Beaumont Enterprise, Beaumont, TX)
Whether public or private, pre-K pays off
While pre-k attendance is not mandatory in Texas, it lays a foundation both socially and academically that can pay dividends in the long run, according to parents and educators. Steve Barnett, co-director of the National Institute for Early Education Research at Rutgers University, said studies have shown that students who attend state pre-k programs are less likely to fail a grade or need special education-type services.

Mar 22, 2009 (The News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
More wait for preschool spots
State-funded program sees growing demand for early childhood classes
The waiting list for state-funded preschool has nearly doubled from last year, even though the state has added slots to the popular program, according to a statewide preschool organization. In January, 2,610 kids across the state were waiting to enter a preschool participating in the Early Childhood Education Assistance Program. A year earlier, 1,346 children were on the program waiting list, according to state statistics.

Mar 19, 2009 (The Tampa Tribune)
State Hopes Pre-K Program Ratings Will Boost Quality
State leaders hope a scoring system will promote the importance of quality preschool and help parents choose the right programs. The Florida Department of Education recently released the latest scores for centers that participate in the Voluntary Prekindergarten program. The program offers free preschool for any 4-year-old through state-approved providers.

Mar 19, 2009 (The Oregonian)
Preschool in Oregon
Child advocates in Oregon want the state to invest more in early childhood education, namely Head Start. They recognize a massive expansion isn't realistic, so they're lobbying for modest growth.

Mar 18, 2009 (Honolulu Advertiser)
Early learning touted in study
Education advocates hope findings will lead to investments
For every dollar that the state invests in early childhood education, $4.20 can be saved in the form of reduced spending on remedial education, crime, health and welfare, according to a new study released today by the Good Beginnings Alliance. The findings, included in the report "The Economic Benefits of Investment in Early Education for Hawaii," come as the state's newly formed Early Learning Council struggles to garner state funding to establish a statewide early learning system.

Mar 16, 2009 (Anchorage Daily News)
Editorial: State and feds realize public schools should start pre-K
Publicly funded preschools, especially for children in low-income families, is an idea whose time has come. Research tells us that well-run preschools can improve the odds children will succeed in school, with better grades and test scores and less need for special education. That's especially true for children who live in poverty.

Mar 15, 2009 (The Forum, Fargo, ND)
Editorial: Restore preschool funding
The future of the state lies with its children. The better start they get in a preschool setting, the better prepared they will be for grade school, and thus for success in high school and college.

Mar 15, 2009 (Muskegon Chronicle, Muskegon, MI)
New state rules alter kindergarten options
Whether they're called developmental kindergarten or young fives, programs targeting youngsters not quite ready for kindergarten are starting to disappear. A state mandate requiring districts to offer full-day developmental kindergarten next year or lose funding could hasten their extinction.

Mar 13, 2009 (KTAR, Phoenix, AZ)
Cigarette tax provides $30M to help young Phoenix kids
The "First Things First" initiative has handed out $30 million to the North, South and Central Phoenix Regional Partnership Councils to help pre-school age kids in Phoenix with health care and early education. The money comes from a voter-approved initiative in 2006 that imposed an 80-cent tax on a pack of cigarettes, with the money earmarked for early education.

Mar 13, 2009 (The Boston Globe)
Finally getting smart about investing in learning
Plans to invest in early childhood are now part of the Democratic and Republican platforms. For every dollar invested in early education, states would save about $4 because children would be less likely to require expensive services, including special education.

Mar 13, 2009 (Asheville Citizen-Times, Asheville, NC)
Support builds in legislature for preschool merger
More than 50 members of the N.C. House have signed on to a proposal by Rep. Ray Rapp, D-Madison, to merge More at Four into Smart Start.

Mar 12, 2009 (The Courier-Post, Cherry Hill, NJ)
Preschools to get $77 million more in state funds
Education Commissioner Lucille Davy said $52 million will expand existing [preschool] programs for 3- and 4-year-olds in the so-called Abbott districts. Another $25 million will be dangled as an incentive to other districts to improve or introduce pre-K.

Mar 12, 2009 (The Flint Journal, Flint, MI)
Recession taking toll on business for child care centers
Day care providers are feeling the wrath of the nation's recession as parents lose their jobs or work reduced hours. Some child care homes and centers have been forced to shut down and others are operating with higher vacancy rates and less staff.

Mar 12, 2009 (The Michigan Daily)
Nobel Prize winning economist visits campus
Yesterday afternoon, the Pendleton Room in the Union was filled to capacity with students and faculty as Nobel Prize-winning economist James Heckman lectured about the role that early life investments, both material and emotional, plays in human development. Heckman, who is the Henry Schultz Distinguished Service Professor of Economics at the University of Chicago, spoke about ongoing studies in the economics, psychology and sociology fields examining the role that gaps in cognitive and noncognitive abilities play in children's growth.

Mar 12, 2009 (Voice of America)
Survey: Americans Are Optimistic Despite Recession
The survey released by the Pew Economic Mobility Project shows most Americans still believe that hard work will be rewarded regardless of family background or economic conditions. "Despite the economic crisis we're in, Americans remain unbelievably optimistic about their ability to make it, and make it not just in the short term but make it in the long term," said Anna Greenberg, who conducted research for the poll.

Mar 11, 2009 (Newsday)
Schools escape NJ gov's budget ax
[Governor Jon] Corzine's $29.8 billion budget contains $25 million to fund more preschool programs in poor districts. That's in line with the state's plan for voluntary universal preschool in five years.

Mar 11, 2009 (Star Tribune, Minneapolis, MN)
Editorial: A new leader for education reform
Obama rightly called for more investment in quality early childhood learning. Calling preschool his first pillar of education reform, he stressed that new federal dollars will go to states with quality programs.

Mar 10, 2009 (The Wall Street Journal)
Education Push to Include Merit Pay
The early education portion of the plan will offer states Early Learning Challenge Grants to improve quality of child care, including improvements to workforce quality. Incentive grants will provide aid for states to better collect data about programs, push for uniform standards and increase help for the most disadvantaged students.

Mar 10, 2009 (CBS News, Political Hotsheet)
Obama's Remarks On Education
"Studies show that children in early childhood education programs are more likely to score higher in reading and math, more likely to graduate from high school and attend college, more likely to hold a job, and more likely to earn more in that job. ... Even as we invest in early childhood education, let's raise the bar for early learning programs that are falling short," [says President Obama].

Mar 9, 2009 (The Daily Times, Salisbury, MD)
A head start to learning
Pre-kindergarten helps prepare children to pass the readiness for school scale
Hearings for House Bill 184 and Senate Bill 234 held last month call on the Maryland State Department of Education to begin discussions with superintendents and school boards across the state about how to bring universal, public pre-kindergarten to Maryland at no charge. To achieve this, MSDE would use the existing draft of Maryland's "Preschool for All Business Plan" as the basis of consultation with county government regarding the contents, costs and staged implementation of the plan.

Mar 5, 2009 (The Washington Post)
Stimulus to Help Retool Education, Duncan Says
To help struggling schools, the federal government will use stimulus funding to encourage states to expand school days, reward good teachers, fire bad ones and measure how students perform compared with peers in India and China, Education Secretary Arne Duncan said yesterday. The stimulus law, which will channel about $100 billion to public schools, universities and early childhood education programs nationwide, will help prevent teacher layoffs, overhaul aging schools and educate low-income children.

Mar 3, 2009 (KUSA TV, Denver CO)
New online early childhood services available in Colo.
Coloradans interested in learning more about early childhood services in the state have a new one-stop resource online. The Early Childhood Colorado Information Clearinghouse includes information for parents, professionals, agencies and anyone who is interested in issues involving young children.

Mar 2, 2009 (The Baltimore Sun)
Editorial: World-class early education
The General Assembly is considering a bill that would direct the State Department of Education to finalize a plan to gradually expand pre-K eligibility. Such a plan would ask officials to estimate the cost of prekindergarten expansion using existing facilities that provide high-quality early childhood education programs for 3- and 4-year-olds. Child advocates and educators hope Maryland will eventually provide free public pre-K for every family that wants it.

Mar 1, 2009 (The New York Times)
Aid critical to public peschool plan
This Morris County community of 6,000 residents and two schools has been among a growing number of suburban districts in New Jersey expanding into public preschool, seeing the benefits of starting early to teach children learning and social skills. Now, more programs may be on the horizon, under an ambitious — some say overly ambitious — plan approved by Gov. Jon S. Corzine and the State Legislature in last year's new school funding formula.

Mar 1, 2009 (The New York Times)
Opinion: One Ride Forward, Two Steps Back
Neuroscience has shown that brains develop faster between birth and age 3 than during any other period of life, and that social interaction fosters such neurological development. So, if babies spend a significant amount of time during their early years in forward-facing strollers, might it impede their language learning?

Mar 1, 2009 (Chicago Tribune)
Is preschool really necessary?
Before deciding which preschool suits their child's needs, some parents ask themselves whether preschool suits their child's needs. No laws require universal participation, and the quality of programs varies even within neighborhoods. But Steven Barnett, director of the National Institute for Early Education Research, says decades of studies point to the cognitive and social benefits of pre-kindergarten programs.

Feb 27, 2009 (Air Force Link)
Officials raise age limits for early childhood education
Young military children who thought the first day of school was imminent may not have to worry about reading, writing and arithmetic until next year because of a change in entrance age requirements. The new rule, which goes into effect this fall with the start of the 2009-2010 school year, requires that students reach the pre-established age by Sept. 1. Students must be 4 years old to enroll in prekindergarten or the Defense Department's Sure Start program.

Feb 26, 2009 (The Record, Bergen County, NJ)
Column: An investment that will always bear fruit
It's true that a preschool classroom can be noisy or messy, even at times chaotic. But it can also be a refuge, a safe haven, a place where imagination soars and the more mundane and sometimes harsh world becomes a little easier to cope with. It's hard to imagine a better way to spend those education dollars. Funding for preschool is seed money that will grow and bear fruit for a lifetime.

Feb 23, 2009 (The Post and Courier, Charleston, SC)
Resolution pushed to study early child care
Longtime proponent works for improvements
If the resolution passes, the nine-member committee would be required to submit a report to the General Assembly by 2010. South Carolina First Steps, a state agency devoted to increasing school readiness, would spearhead the effort.

Feb 20, 2009 (Duluth News Tribune)
Opinion: State view: Minnesota's youngest citizens have many allies
The earliest years of Minnesota's youngest citizens are the foundations of their lives and the future of our state's economy. Early childhood care and education is an important economic development issue for Minnesota since it is the basis of the skilled work force of the future. Even in tough times we need to support our youngest children.

Feb 20, 2009 (The DeSoto Times, Hernando, MS)
House members kill early childhood education bill
Measure may get second chance this session
Members of the Mississippi House of Representatives killed a bill recently that would have allowed school districts to use existing funds to offer voluntary early childhood education classes.

Feb 18, 2009 (The Grand Rapids Press, Grand Rapids, MI)
Editorial: Reading First needs more study
Congress should not cut literacy funding for kindergarten through third-grade students by $1 billion. Nationally, only one-third of fourth graders are proficient in reading. A decision on the Reading First program must be based on more than a questionable impact study. Other studies show positive findings and states such as Michigan say they can see measurable improvements in student performance.

Feb 18, 2009 (The Boston Globe)
Schools reconsider full-day programs
High fees threaten kindergarten plans
The average full-day kindergarten fee has jumped by $282 per student to $2,682 in the last four years as state funding for kindergarten took hits during budget crises. Fewer school systems are making the move to add classes, and a growing percentage of families are being asked to pay for the extra time in school - and to pay higher fees than in the past, according to educators and state data.

Feb 16, 2009 (The Gazette, Gaithersburg, MD)
Bill hopes to make way for pre-kindergarten
Tom Hucker hopes Maryland can become "shovel ready" for universal pre-kindergarten. The House Ways and Means Committee will hear testimony Tuesday on a bill introduced by Hucker that would require the state Department of Education to begin discussions with superintendents and school boards across the state about how to bring universal, public pre-kindergarten to Maryland.

Feb 14, 2009 (The Marion Star, Marion, OH)
An educational jump start
Pre-K programs an option for building students' interests early
Advocates of publicly funded pre-K point to studies that suggest students who spend significant time in pre-K are likelier than their peers to behave in school, graduate from high school and be productive citizens.

Feb 13, 2009 (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)
Kindergartners 'redshirted' to gain edge
According to [Harvard researchers] Deming and Dynarski, children who enter school later can meet the minimum age to drop out sooner in their academic careers — a redshirted student could be a high school sophomore when he or she is eligible to drop out, instead of a junior. When students are older at graduation, they join the work force later, have fewer years of work experience than non-delayed peers of the same age, and either retire later or spend one less year of their lives working and contributing to Social Security, the study said.

Feb 12, 2009 (Fairbanks Daily News-Miner)
Alaska legislators push early education program
[It] all starts at home, and Parents as Teachers program supporters want to give moms and dads the resources they need to start educating children as young as a couple of months. House Bill 69 would funnel state money to the pre-kindergarten program, which already is running on federal grants in 47 Alaska communities. Local communities would apply to the state for program grants to serve parents with children up to 5.

Feb 12, 2009 (The Arizona Republic)
Strategy unveiled on how tobacco tax will help kids
More children with access to health care. Quality ratings for child-care centers. "Childhood-development kits" sent home with newborns. Those and other plans to benefit Arizona children are being unveiled by an organization created to funnel tobacco taxes into programs to improve child development and early education in the state.

Feb 12, 2009 (Plainview Daily Herald, Plainview, TX)
Quality child care, early education pay off
The capacity of child care workers in Texas has increased slightly since 2000, but there are still about 200,000 more children under age 6 who need child care, according to a recent report by Texans Care for Children. Enrollment in pre-kindergarten programs has increased in recent years, yet nearly 25 percent of Texas school districts do not offer a pre-kindergarten program.

Feb 11, 2009 (Honolulu Star-Bulletin)
Funding sought for program to improve state preschools
Measure seeks to preserve funding for preschool planning project
Hawaii lawmakers want to preserve a project to expand preschool options by preventing its funding from being used to help plug the state's financial hole. The Legislature, through Act 14, assigned an Early Learning Council last year to plan a voluntary preschool system supported by state and private funds. The council received $250,000, but about half of it is expected to be unspent by the end of fiscal year 2009 on June 30 and lumped into the state's general fund.

Feb 11, 2009 (Pioneer Press, St. Paul, MN)
Education bill would boost costs by 32%
Plan's advocates say current system less fair, too complex
The bill, dubbed the new Minnesota Miracle, had its first legislative hearing Tuesday. Estimates show it would cost the state an extra $2.4 billion a year, requiring a 32 percent increase in education funding for preschools through high schools.

Feb 10, 2009 (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
New face for Early Learning
Gov. Chris Gregoire tapped Bremerton school chief Bette Hyde on Tuesday to run the Department of Early Learning, selecting a veteran public school administrator used to working with tight budgets. The one-time special-education teacher takes on the Cabinet-level post at a difficult time, as policymakers cut the state budget. Amid those cuts, however, improving the education of preschoolers, toddlers and infants remains a priority, Gregoire indicated.

Feb 9, 2009 (Today's Sunbeam, Salem, NJ)
Stimulus package may fund preschool expansion plan
School districts from around the county will continue to play the waiting game on whether funding will become available for the state-mandated preschool expansion project. But residents can find some comfort after it was announced by the New Jersey Department of Education that the burden to pay for the program will not fall on the local taxpayers.

Feb 8, 2009 (The New York Times)
Opinion: Head Start falls further behind
Lack of money is not the problem: to keep a child in Head Start full-time, year-round, costs about $22,600, as opposed to an average cost of $9,500 in a day care center. And that's the big failing of the stimulus bill. In area after area, it does not require any real change in return for vast piles of money.

Feb 8, 2009 (The Free Lance-Star, Fredericksburg, VA)
Opinion: The Virginia Preschool Initiative works
In a speech before the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said he has a prepared answer for anyone who wants to know what to invest in: "Education is the best investment." In making these tough choices, I submit that even in the face of this shrinking economy, the Virginia Preschool Initiative, or VPI, works, and its funding should be preserved.

Feb 7, 2009 (Asheville Citizen-Times, Asheville, NC)
'More at 4' may follow Easley out
With former Gov. Mike Easley gone less than a month, support is building in the General Assembly to end his signature preschool initiative, More at Four, as a separate program. The idea is to fold More at Four, which subsidizes preschool for at-risk 4-year-olds, into the older and broader Smart Start.

Feb 6, 2009 (Winona Daily News, Winona, MN)
Pre-K screenings: Problems caught early give students better chance at success
Early childhood screening is not meant to diagnose disorders or serve as a kindergarten readiness test, but it can identify possible developmental or emotional barriers children might have when they begin school.

Feb 5, 2009 (The Hartford Courant, Hartford, CT)
Proposal Would Expand Training For Connecticut Teachers
New teachers looking to work in Connecticut public schools would have to learn to teach "atypical" students, such as special education students and English language learners, under revised teacher certification guidelines being developed by the state Department of Education.

Feb 3, 2009 (Asbury Park Press)
Mandated preschool expansion backed at editorial board meeting
An early start on education using an engaging curriculum has shown increases in readiness for kindergarten, as well as an increase in standardized testing scores, according to findings by the state Department of Education.

Feb 3, 2009 (The Associated Press)
Mrs. Obama thanks Education Department
Money in the economic stimulus bill being debated in the Senate will help prevent teacher layoffs and preserve early childhood education, [Michelle Obama] said. Investments from the stimulus also will help fund innovative approaches to teaching, such as teacher quality initiatives, school turnaround programs and charter schools, she said.

Feb 2, 2009 (Education Week)
Education Aid in Stimulus Raises Eyebrows
Despite strong support, some warn flood of cash may inflate expectations
With the Senate set to take up the more-than-$800 billion economic-stimulus bill this week, lawmakers will grapple with whether some $120 billion in proposed education funding increases would set unreasonable expectations for future spending. The bill—which closely parallels a measure approved 244-188 by the House of Representative last week, with no Republican support—includes money for education that would amount to nearly twice the discretionary budget of the federal Department of Education in fiscal 2008.

Feb 1, 2009 (Journal Sentinel, Milwaukee, WI)
Early childhood efforts urged
Even as mass layoffs rival historic levels, Wisconsin needs business to be more involved in promoting early childhood education, the state's chief labor economist says. Dennis Winters, chief economic adviser in the Department of Workforce Development, is one of a number of economists nationally who consider early childhood development, especially in low-income families, as a cost-effective way to build the economy and its work force.

Feb 1, 2009 (Great Falls Tribune, Great Falls, MT)
The business of child care
The business of child care takes exceptional organizational skills and the ability to balance multiple tasks, not to mention what it takes to nurture and care for infants and kids. It's an industry without much financial incentive — the average wage for a full-time worker in the profession is $17,119 in Montana — but one that provides high returns for the state as a whole.

Jan 30, 2009 (The Baltimore Sun)
Parents can see child care inspection reports online
Maryland has launched a new government Web site that allows people to sift through the results of inspections of several thousand licensed child care providers in the state, including day-care centers and registered home-based care providers. The Web site allows users to search by company name, jurisdiction and type of provider.

Jan 28, 2009 (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)
Mo. lawmakers to consider rankings for child care
Proponents of a rating system for child care centers in Missouri rallied on Tuesday in support of legislation aimed at helping parents better judge the strengths and weaknesses of early childhood programs. For the past two years, supporters of the concept have tried but failed to persuade the Legislature to approve a new five-star rating system for childhood programs in both centers and homes.

Jan 28, 2009 (The New York Times)
Stimulus Plan Would Provide Flood of Aid to Education
The economic stimulus plan that Congress has scheduled for a vote on Wednesday would shower the nation's school districts, child care centers and university campuses with $150 billion in new federal spending, a vast two-year investment that would more than double the Department of Education's current budget. The proposed emergency expenditures on nearly every realm of education, including school renovation, special education, Head Start and grants to needy college students, would amount to the largest increase in federal aid since Washington began to spend significantly on education after World War II.

Jan 27, 2009 (West Virginia Public Broadcasting)
Report stresses importance of early childhood education
The report, titled Right and Smart, argues the state devote more resources to helping children between the ages of birth and five. Early investment in these programs, focusing specifically on the birth-to-three age group, will eventually produce a healthier and more productive workforce, the report says.

Jan 26, 2009 (The Florida Times-Union)
Early learning advocates fear budget cuts' impact
Critics: Without the money now, the state will pay in the long run
With a second reduction in money for voluntary pre-kindergarten recently finalized and another rough economic year for the state ahead, early childhood education advocates are worried about whether more cuts are to come.

Jan 26, 2009 (The Washington Post)
Despite Flaws, Site Rating Preschools Fills a Critical Need
Seventy percent of 4-year-olds and 40 percent of 3-year-olds are in preschool, but the numbers are expected to grow rapidly. How will parents figure out which schools are best for their kids?

Jan 25, 2009 (La Crosse Tribune, La Crosse, WI)
More school districts add 4-year-old kindergarten, but at what cost?
Wisconsin has 319 school districts that offered public preschool programs in 2008-09, with 33,976 children enrolled, a 22.4 percent increase over the previous school year, according to the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.

Jan 22, 2009 (The Daily Post-Athenian, Athens, TN)
Pre-K funding may be slashed by legislators
Rep. Mike Bell, R-Riceville, and state Sen. Dewayne Bunch, R-Cleveland, said pre-kindergarten is among numerous state-funded programs that could go on the chopping block when legislators begin wrestling with a $900 million deficit. Rep. Bell said ... the pre-kindergarten program is strongly supported by Gov. Phil Bredesen and cuts would face opposition from his administration.

Jan 21, 2009 (The Wall Street Journal)
Column: It's Not That Kids Need Preschool -- but It Can Help
Advocates argue all children need access to preschool; opponents cite studies pointing only to benefits for disadvantaged kids. The debate leaves parents wondering how much -- if any -- preschool their children really need.

Jan 21, 2009 (U.S. News & World Report)
Column: Autism Screening Tops Obama's Medical To-Do List
Autism tops Barack Obama's medical to-do list, according to the new president's website. Obama called for ... universal screening for all infants for autism disorders, as well as re-screening for all 2-year-olds.

Jan 20, 2009 (The Press of Atlantic City)
N.J. urges schools to freeze spending
[New Jersey Education Commissioner Lucille] Davy also said that while Gov. Jon S. Corzine remains committed to expanding public preschool, funding it will be difficult without federal support. President-elect Barack Obama included federal funds for public preschool in his campaign platform, and state officials are hoping some money might be included in a federal stimulus package.

Jan 19, 2009 (The News-Press, Fort Myers, FL)
Opinion: Invest in children to stimulate the economy
Now consider the long-term return on investment when we have nurtured and raised a generation of more educated, creative, resourceful and innovative workers. A wealth of studies have examined the benefit-cost ratios of early childhood development programs and found their net benefits both positive and large; on average, a $1 investment in quality early care and education provides between $4 and $8 in reduced costs associated with such social outcomes as lower rates of grade retention, special education placement, adolescent pregnancy, drug use, and criminal activity — at the high end this is a 17-percent return on investment.

Jan 16, 2009 (The Advocate, Baton Rouge, LA)
Experts offer ideas to lessen poverty
More early childhood education and better support for working families will be key to moving Louisiana families out of poverty, state and national experts said Thursday. The majority of [Child Poverty Council] members said expansion of early childhood education and child-care assistance were the most effective strategies in achieving the council's goal, according to a survey conducted by the council's consultants.

Jan 13, 2009 (Congressional Quarterly, Washington, DC)
Duncan Vows Focus on Early Childhood Education, Innovation
Arne Duncan, President-elect Barack Obama's pick for Education secretary, promised a new emphasis on early childhood education at his confirmation hearing Tuesday before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. Duncan said he would work to do something "dramatically better" in early childhood education, and he said Obama was committed to the creation of a commission on early childhood education.

Jan 12, 2009 (The Cambridge Chronicle, Cambridge, MA)
Opinion: Early education is an investment for our future
Economists have backed up Churchill's instinct with hard data: public investment in the institutions, programs, and systems that support the healthy development of all young children in a community yields a high rate of return. Indeed, there are few public investments that are likely to bring better societal benefits or larger long-term monetary savings.

Jan 9, 2009 (The Christian Science Monitor)
In findings on reading, some surprises
A look at skills among the youngest could change how preschools teach children.
In this report, some of the findings reinforce the value of common practices, such as teaching young children the alphabet. But "some of the patterns are different from what people predicted, and that's going to change practice," says Timothy Shanahan, chairman of the National Early Literacy Panel, which released the report Thursday.

Jan 8, 2009 (Congressional Quarterly, Washington, DC)
Head Start Advocates Join Stimulus Lobbying Crowd
Advocates of early childhood education initiatives such as Head Start are lobbying for early childhood funding to be included in the stimulus, but lawmakers and education experts say they may be disappointed. Those calling for Head Start funds in the stimulus, however, argue that increased funding is an infrastructure investment.

Jan 6, 2009 (The Miami Herald)
Column: Florida Legislature takes aim at children
Aside from going after non-classroom spending like bus services for kids in magnet schools, instructional materials and online classrooms, the Legislature is looking at adding more children to pre-K classrooms. As it is, about 59 percent of Florida kids take advantage of the program.

Jan 5, 2009 (Keloland TV, Sioux Falls, SD)
SD Lawmakers To Revisit Pre-K Program
This legislative session, South Dakota lawmakers will consider a state-funded pre-k program for your kids. The state is one of only 12 without such a program, and one senator says the legislature needs to revisit the issue.

Jan 4, 2009 (The Forum, Fargo, ND)
Push for pre-K funding in North Dakota is on
The issue of pre-K schooling has been often overshadowed or dismissed in North Dakota – one of only about eight states not spending any money on pre-K programs. But there is a growing movement among lawmakers and school officials to change that this year.