Bezos Academy’s Post

DC and nine states enrolled more than 50% of 4-year-olds in state-funded preschool, with DC leading by serving 88% of 4-year-olds. Learn about the regional disparities in preschool access. Read the 2023 State of Pre-K Yearbook: https://lnkd.in/enZtcpms #PreschoolAccess #EducationEquality

Good investigative reporting by Willamette Week's Sophie Peel featuring commentary from our own Gerard Mildner on the slow pace and underspending by Multnomah County as they try to roll out universal preschool. A worthy goal, but questions abound about implementation and follow-through. "The costs are extraordinary," says Dr. Mildner - on the high overhead of the program, particularly when the number of new classrooms appears to be so low. To quote Multco Commissioner Julia Brim-Edwards: “We need to have a plan. We need to be taking urgent action. We need to be transparent and show results,” Brim-Edwards says. “That is what rebuilds trust.” After all, the cost and performance of the program are quite significant to the county taxpayers paying 1.5% and 3.0% annually to fund the program. https://lnkd.in/gd-MbeiE

Standing Firm for the Future of Our Children In a world where the early years of childhood lay the foundation for lifelong success, it is not only our responsibility but our moral duty to stand up for the rights and well-being of every child. Important: At this moment, the following programs are actively advocating for the Cincinnati, Ohio community. You can support their efforts by making a donation. Much like the struggles of past generations who fought for justice and equality, today, we must be vigilant in our pursuit of educational equity for all children, regardless of their background. The fight for quality early childhood education is the fight for a brighter, more equitable future. "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." These words, written from a place of deep conviction and sacrifice, resonate now as they did decades ago. We cannot afford to be silent or passive in the face of inequity. We must actively engage, educate, and advocate for policies that ensure every child has the opportunity to thrive. Let this be our call to action. Let us channel our passion, our expertise, and our collective voices into ensuring that all children receive the early education they deserve. Let us stand together, as allies and advocates, in the ongoing battle for justice in education. Website: https://lnkd.in/dCD_4eTJ Join us in this crucial work. Together, we can make a difference. #EducationForAll #Advocacy #EarlyChildhoodEducation #EquityInEducation #4cforchildren #chatgptpt #chatgpt

High-quality pre-K programs make a difference in children's lives. 🌟 Explore how we can diversify where pre-K is offered while maintaining quality: https://lnkd.in/diyZi5dY Erin Harmeyer GG Weisenfeld Ellen Frede 

📣Calling all AART experts!📣 How much do you know about #earlychildhoodeducation in Northern Virginia? 🤔 Try your hand at some AART trivia to put your knowledge to the test and learn more about the issues we address with our free #preschool programs. Share how you did in the comments! Which fact was the most surprising to you? Learn how you can help a child in your area discover the joy of learning >> https://lnkd.in/gVK-CHeQ Answers: 1. F | 2. C | 3. C Sources: 2. Public school begins at kindergarten in Virginia and only 20% of eligible children attend (https://lnkd.in/eF8y_X_W). While the Commonwealth has the Virginia Preschool Initiative (VPI) that program strict income requirements and is not available to everyone. For comparison – in DC, preschool is part of the public school system and 82% of children attend. 3. https://lnkd.in/g7vcg3f8 4. https://lnkd.in/g8fuRUck

Way to go California! California accounted for 71% of the increase in preschool spending, demonstrating a strong commitment to children's future. Learn more about the regional impact on early education funding. Read the 2023 State of Pre-K Yearbook now: https://lnkd.in/e32MPs8Q #CaliforniaEducation #PreschoolInvestment

When parents come across Saving Grace Special Needs Homeschool due to fate, they are filled with a sense of wonder and delight. Their worries are lifted and replaced with gratitude and relief. In this special learning environment, the power of education is combined with empathy and understanding, creating a comforting and hopeful atmosphere for everyone involved. https://lnkd.in/eVFXU9Mf #specialneedskids,#specialneedscurriclum,#inclusionmatters,#inclusiveeducation

#GiveSTLDay Early Giving is now open! I'm asking friends in my network to consider supporting Navigate STL Schools. Navigate advocates for equitable enrollment by sharing relevant resources and transparent information about the traditional, charter, magnet, and independent school options available. Navigate focuses on Early Childhood Education, Transition (ECE, elementary, middle and high school) Programs, and making sure residents understand their educational options in the city of St. Louis. Kindergarten and the skills learned at this grade level are critical to a student’s educational journey. And currently, kindergarten isn’t a requirement in the state of MO. In addition to this, being prepared for the transition to kindergarten starts earlier than most caregivers anticipate, putting them behind in the enrollment process - leaving them with less school options, and less time to access any additional resources they may need to get their student to [and through] school. Our Kinder Readiness Program works to solve this problem! Did you know that $73 can provide one month of kindergarten readiness services to a family? And $877 can support one entire ECE center with Kinder Readiness Services for a month? Will you join our Kinder Readiness Giving Club and help support this pivotal transition time for one or more families? https://lnkd.in/gfNDazU8

Excited to share this new report, in collaboration with GG Weisenfeld! In Including Family Child Care in State-funded Pre-K Systems: An Update, we outline how enrollment of children participating in state-funded pre-K in FCC settings has changed since our last report in 2021. Since then, most states reported increases in the number of children participating in FCC/pre-K, including New York (increase from 294 children to 4,090 children); Oregon (increase from 216 children to 970 children); and Washington (increase from 30 children to 263 children). However, the number of children served in FCC/pre-K homes is relatively low compared to center-based programs. More than half (8 out of 13) of those that could report it served less than 1% of preschool children in FCC homes. Exceptions to this small percentage were Oregon (18.2%), Arizona (3.7%), and New York (2.7%).  Thanks to Home Grown for the support of this work! Read more here:

Why we love early childhood education properties: projected sector growth and federal backing. 🌟 The global Early Childhood Education Market was estimated at USD 245 Billion in 2019 and is expected to reach USD 480 Billion by 2026. 🌟 The American Families Plan will make transformational investments from early childhood to post-secondary education so that all children and young people are able to grow, learn, and gain the skills they need to succeed. It will provide universal, high-quality preschool to all three- and four-year-olds. Regarding our Children of America property in Lakewood, Illinois specifically, it is a strong real estate investment due to the state of Illinois' assistance in childcare costs. This means COA is about as secure as government subsidized housing due to full facilities and on-time payments. View the listing here: https://lnkd.in/gdBFrS_P