Spring peepers and the war on Pre-K for All

In the past week I have seen many more attacks directed against Pre-K for All than I have in some time. This signals the start of the state budget season as surely as drumming woodpeckers and noisy peepers signal the arrival of spring. What I find surprising is how many preschool policy peepers promote misinformation based on research that is flawed or simply misused.

Please visit National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) for the complete blog post.

Young immigrants and dual language learners: Participation in pre-K and Kindergarten entry gaps

In a recent webinar, NIEER discussed what it means to be Hispanic and a DLL (a dual language learner) or Hispanic and come from a home with immigrant parents. We showed that Hispanic children, DLLs, and children with an immigrant background have lower rates of participation in center-based care (including Head Start) pre-K programs than White non-Hispanic children. We considered the impacts on enrollment of home language and of varied immigrant backgrounds, which make this group quite heterogeneous.

Please visit National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) for the complete blog post.

Will FY2016 be the year for children? Or déjà vu?

In January’s State of the Union address, President Obama highlighted several initiatives meant to simplify child care for America families. The White House’s budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2016, released on Monday, provides further insight into the costs and details of these programs as well as additional areas of focus within the early childhood world.

Please visit National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) for the complete blog post.