Seattle Department of Transportation’s Post

Preschools across Los Angeles County – most pausing during the pandemic – are struggling to find teachers, win back parents, and serve additional children, according to a new report co-authored by Holly Ondyak University of California, Berkeley, Goldman School of Public Policy, and our Professor Bruce Fuller. The vast majority of L.A.’s nearly 2,400 licensed preschool centers – whether publicly financed or private-pay – have reopened classrooms since the depths of Covid-19 in 2020. But enrollment of 3 and 4-year-old children continues to lag way behind pre-pandemic levels, researchers found. Some 22,000 children, 3 and 4 years of age, disappeared from preschool, including from publicly financed and private centers. Many families have returned, analysts said. But last month (June 2024), these centers reported nearly 28,000 empty slots for young children, signaling the difficulty of finding new teachers and shifting family demand for preschool. Publicly funded preschools – serving poor and middle-class families in the California State Preschool Program – felt the sharpest pandemic-era decline in enrollments, the study found. These preschools, run by community nonprofits and public schools, served 26,201 children just prior to the Covid-19 shutdown (among programs reporting historical data). Enrollments tumbled 35 percent by 2023 and show no sign of rebounding to prior levels, says the report. The report was made possible with the support and research of these individuals and agencies: Qifan Zhang Li Zhu Austin Land California Department of Social Services  California Department of Education  Head Start California (San Francisco) California Child Care Resource and Referral Network American Institutes for Research Here's the full report https://lnkd.in/gxr6ya2x Read more in the story in The Los Angeles Times https://lnkd.in/gR2rHJ-N

In light of financial constraints, the Biden administration is advising states to leverage existing federal funds to broaden preschool access. This guidance aims to counteract the stagnation in preschool enrollment post-pandemic, urging a strategic blend of federal resources to enhance early childhood education. Despite ambitious proposals for expansive funding that fell through, states are encouraged to innovate with current budgets to sustain and grow preschool programs. https://lnkd.in/gqKKKuwW

How to pick the best preschool or child care center for your child - https://lnkd.in/devBvnaz - Preschool options are growing with the expansion of early learning programs, giving families in some parts of the U.S. a dizzying array of choices. Some states, like Colorado and New Mexico, are funneling state money into existing private preschools or child care centers. Others, like California, are expanding preschool through the public school system. Some […]

New York City is taking a transformative step forward in early childhood education with a historic investment exceeding $3 billion, bolstered by an additional $100 million in the Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25) budget. This ambitious plan, developed through a collaborative effort between the Adams administration and the City Council, aims to address systemic challenges, better allocate resources, and ensure that every child has access to quality early education. Key highlights include: 1. Expanded Access and Equity: Over 1,500 new 3-K seats will be added in high-need communities for the 2024-2025 school year. This effort ensures 100% of families who applied for 3-K on time have received offers, marking a significant increase in access, especially for underserved and undocumented children. 2. Support for Special Education and Extended Day Services: The plan expands preschool special education classrooms, adds 450 special education seats, and provides free extended hours for over 1,700 families, addressing critical needs for working parents. 3. Targeted Outreach and Family Engagement: A $5 million outreach initiative will focus on under-enrolled communities, enhancing enrollment through partnerships with local organizations to provide hands-on support. 4. Support for Undocumented Children: The Promise NYC program, which supports undocumented families, will see its funding increased to $25 million, enabling approximately 1,000 children to access child care services. 5. A Coordinated, Holistic Approach: The newly established Mayor's Office of Child Care and Early Childhood Education will oversee the implementation of a 10-point plan, focusing on cross-agency collaboration, enhanced provider support, and continuous policy improvements to streamline operations and expand access. Under Mayor Adams' leadership, this initiative not only addresses immediate needs but also sets the stage for a reimagined early childhood education system that prioritizes affordability, accessibility, and quality. As New York City continues to lead the nation in early childhood education, this plan emphasizes the city's commitment to supporting working families and building a more equitable and prosperous future for all New Yorkers. #NYCEarlyEd #ChildcareReform #InvestInKids #EquitableEducation #EarlyLearningNYC #SupportWorkingFamilies https://lnkd.in/e-NnXXsn

Preschool in the United States has grown dramatically in the past several decades. From 1970 to 2018, preschool enrollment increased from 38 percent to 64 percent of eligible students. Fourteen states are currently discussing preschool expansion, with seven likely to pass some form of universal eligibility within the next calendar year. Amid this expansion, families, policymakers, and practitioners want to better understand preschools’ impacts and the factors driving preschool quality. To address these and other questions, MIT Blueprint Labs recently held a Preschool Research Convening that brought researchers, funders, practitioners, and policymakers to Nashville, Tennessee, to di ...

Hear what we have to say about the long-term benefits of early investments in preschool: https://lnkd.in/dKG9qpMA

Preschool in the United States has grown dramatically in the past several decades. From 1970 to 2018, preschool enrollment increased from 38 percent to 64 percent of eligible students. Fourteen states are currently discussing preschool expansion, with seven likely to pass some form of universal eligibility within the next calendar year. Amid this expansion, families, policymakers, and practitioners want to better understand preschools’ impacts and the factors driving preschool quality. To address these and other questions, MIT Blueprint Labs recently held a Preschool Research Convening that brought researchers, funders, practitioners, and policymakers to Nashville, Tennessee, to di ...

The Center for American Progress has great new factsheet on the Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five program with examples of how states are using this funding to improve data and support young children! https://lnkd.in/e27Nhntp

Universal preschool can help level the playing field for children from disadvantaged backgrounds. By providing high-quality early education to all children, regardless of socio-economic status, it can help reduce the achievement gap that often exists between low-income and affluent students when they enter school. https://lnkd.in/eAq7UDS4