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    DECEMBER 2017
Local momentum grows for preschool expansion

Local communities, led by community-based organizations, school districts, mayors, and business leaders, have solid plans for preschool expansion and are demanding new public dollars to begin implementation.

“Long acknowledged as a valuable learning opportunity with proven success, many families simply can’t afford preschool or are on waiting lists for affordable spots to open,” writes Kathleen Treglia of YMCA Southcoast .
“New Bedford and Fall River are among 15 communities where stakeholders have been working to address this issue and prepare for growth.”

“Pittsfield Preschool Expansion Program is ready to go,” write John L. Bissell of Greylock Federal Credit Union and Caitlin Pemble of Guardian Life Insurance Company of America. “Preschool is a worthy but expensive investment for all families, which is why we believe universal access is critical for our community.”

These are just two examples of local leaders taking action to demand public investment in early learning. Please join their efforts. Click here to tell your state legislators to expand preschool in Massachusetts by passing An Act Ensuring High Quality Pre-Kindergarten Education (H.2874, S.240) . Email info@strategiesforchildren.org if you would like help writing a letter to your local paper or elected officials.

Let’s level the playing field for all young children and expand preschool opportunity in Massachusetts.
 
New research on the value of early education

What’s the cost of not having universal pre-K? The Center for American Progress has an $83 billion answer. “Based on research that quantifies long-term economic outcomes in states that have high-quality preschool, this analysis concludes the United States would expect to see a net benefit of more than $83.3 billion for each one-year cohort of 4-year-olds,” the center says in its article, “The Cost of Inaction on Universal Preschool.” Read more.

Another recent study, by the American Educational Research Association (AERA), shows that early education provides clear benefits that last through high school. The results come from researchers’ meta-study of 22 early education studies conducted between 1960 and 2016. Read more.
 
Add SFC to your giving list

It’s the end of the year and we are reaching out to our loyal base of blog readers, advocates, and collaborators to ask for your support. Your tax-deductible donation supports all of the advocacy, research, communications, and information that Strategies for Children brings to advance the early education and care sector. Help us achieve our mission, ensuring that Massachusetts invests the resources needed for all young children to access high-quality early education programs that prepare them for success in school and life. Donate today, and thank you for your contribution.

 

Check out our Eye on Early Education blog for recent stories you may have missed.

Online College Programs: Opportunities and Challenges for Early Educators, December 12

Ready to Go: Pittsfield, December 7

Early Educators Around Town, December 5

Early Education for Homeless Children, November 22

Universal Preschool: It’s Good Public Health Policy, November 16

The Power of Early Math Games, November 7
 

Jumpstart@Jumpstartkids Dec 8
“An analysis of more than 20 early-childhood studies shows that children who participate in high-quality preschool are more likely to graduate from high school than peers who were not enrolled in such programs.” via @educationweek: http://ow.ly/N1Aw30h3oUs  #earlyed #PreK

Kyle DeMeo Cook @kdemeocook Dec 4
When elementary schools and preschools share information, children can benefit. Check out our research in Dec issue of International Journal of Child Care and Ed Policy. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40723-017-0039-5 … @Eric_Dearing @henrikdz #earlyed #earlyedtransitions #ECE

Alice Peisch@RepAlicePeisch Dec 5
Overjoyed to see An Act for Language Opportunity for Our Kids signed into law by @MassGovernor #mapoli #maedu

Zaentz Early Ed @ZaentzHarvardEd Nov 29
The ingredients of high-quality early education are rooted in the practices teachers use every day | @UKnowHGSE on Dr. Junlei Li's session during #ZaentzLeadingEdge @FredRogersCtr

Jessica Sager@JessicaSagerAOK Nov 29
We Know How to Provide Good #ChildCare. We Just Don’t Invest Enough to Do It. http://slate.me/2zN0eFE  @NAEYC @ZEROTOTHREE @hechingerreport @Slate @USAChildCare #ChildCareNOW

EarlyEducationForAll@EarlyEd4All Nov 18
Congratulations @aldouglass on your new book - Leading for Change in Early Care and Education! Fantastic to see you at the @NAEYC Annual Conference! #naeycac @UMassBoston @AmyEO #earlyed

MA Association for the Education of Young Children @MAAEYC Nov 17
We were so pleased to spend the night with these passionate educators in Atlanta at the #naeycAC! Thank you to everyone who joined us!

Boston Foundation @bostonfdn Nov 15
Jason Sachs of @bostonschools: We need a "marriage" to create a system that holds all early ed programs, teachers, facilities to a standard that protects, helps, and uplifts children in both community and @bostonschools programs
#bostonUPK

 

 

notes from Amy

As 2017 comes to a close, let’s look beyond the headlines of the daily news cycle to recall some good news from the past year:

We continue to be impressed and inspired by the commitment and dedication of early educators Lisa Crowley, Shanika Edouard and all the Voices from the Field as they seek to improve practice and advance their own education.

We are also thrilled by the collaboration and enthusiasm of local leaders across the state organizing community teams to build new support systems for young children. Whether it’s ESSA, next-generation MCAS, or preschool expansion planning, our young children and families have much to gain from collaboration between early educators, home visitors, teachers, directors, principals, superintendents, school committee members, mayors and others.

We have also seen a renewed interested and attention to the importance of advocacy and accurate information. Make sure you are signed up to received our advocacy alerts and help spread the word to others who can help advocate! Click here to see a summary of Early Education in the News for 2017. You can find infographics, research briefs, Fast Facts for Children and Families, and more on our website.

We are grateful for our partners and funders who help to support our work and the hundreds of people who took action this year to advocate for increased investments. We must continue to work together to make 2018 an even better year for children, families, and communities here in the Commonwealth.

 

 
617.330.7380           400 Atlantic Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02110           info@earlyeducationforall.org
Strategies for Children works to ensure that Massachusetts invests the resources needed for all children, from birth to age five, to access high-quality early education programs that prepare them for success in school and life.