All articles tagged with #early childhood education
One year after New Mexico launched the nation’s first universal free child care program, demand far outpaces slots and costs are rising, leaving many families unable to find care despite eligibility; supporters call it a national model while critics flag sustainability and implementation hurdles.
The Trump administration unveiled a proposed HHS rule to roll back Head Start regulations, giving local programs more flexibility by aligning standards with state laws for factors like class size, staff ratios, background checks, and transportation. The plan would make deviations from current requirements optional, cap administrative spending at 5%, and add nutrition and physical activity rules aligned with federal guidelines. Officials say the changes would preserve statutory requirements, expand Head Start slots by up to 236,000 and save about $2.2 billion, while Democrats warn the deregulation could lead to larger class sizes and reduced services for low-income children. The proposal is open for public comment for 60 days.
Crowds gathered in Reggio Emilia as Catherine, Princess of Wales, returns to international duties for a two-day visit focused on early years education; her first overseas trip since cancer diagnosis and remission, with a program visiting schools to learn about the Reggio Emilia approach and discuss global models for child development.
Former President Barack Obama met New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani in New York City to read to preschoolers, lead a Wheels on the Bus sing-along, and discuss the mayor’s early-childhood-education agenda; Obama offered to be a sounding board as Mamdani pursues progressive reforms while navigating tensions with Trump, following Mamdani’s first 100 days in office and prior meetings with the former president.
Texas has introduced a private pre-K voucher program offering up to $10,800 per year, but eligibility is limited to families already qualifying for free public pre-K, making it unlikely to significantly expand access or affordability for early childhood education across the state.
New Mexico will become the first U.S. state to offer free universal child care starting November, expanding an existing program to provide financial relief to families and support workforce participation, funded by a new $13 million fund and a constitutional amendment.
New Mexico will become the first U.S. state to offer universal, no-cost child care to all families starting Nov. 1, removing income restrictions and investing in child care infrastructure and workforce to support families, children, and the economy.
The Trump administration has announced it will exclude undocumented children from the Head Start program, a move that could impact many low-income and homeless children and reflects broader efforts to restrict benefits for undocumented immigrants, potentially affecting their access to early childhood education and related services.
A new study of preschool children in France reveals that students from middle- and upper-class backgrounds are more likely to participate in classroom discussions than their working-class counterparts, regardless of their oral language proficiency. These disparities in engagement opportunities may contribute to the perpetuation of socioeconomic disparities in education. The study suggests that early childhood education should be redesigned to foster engagement among all students, regardless of their social class.
Alabama Governor Kay Ivey has replaced her director of early childhood education, Barbara Cooper, over the use of a teacher training book, written by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), that Ivey denounced as teaching "woke concepts" because of language about inclusion and structural racism. The book is a guide for early childhood educators and is not a curriculum taught to children. The NAEYC did not address Ivey's statements but said the book is a research-based resource for educators. Alabama's First Class voluntary pre-kindergarten programs operate more than 1,400 classrooms across the state.
Alabama Governor Kay Ivey has replaced her director of early childhood education, Barbara Cooper, over the use of a teacher training book that the governor denounced as teaching "woke concepts" because of language about inclusion and structural racism. The book in question is the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Developmentally Appropriate Practice Book, 4th edition. Ivey's office cited two examples from the book, one discussing white privilege and another that Ivey's office claimed teaches LGBTQ+ inclusion to 4-year-olds. The NAEYC is a national accrediting board that provides high-quality education materials and resources for young children.
The head of early childhood education in Alabama, Barbara Cooper, has resigned after Governor Kay Ivey learned of "woke concepts" in a resource book for pre-K teachers. The manual argues that there are "larger systemic forces that perpetuate systems of White privilege" and that "the United States is built on systemic and structural racism." Ivey's office said the book is not in line with what the administration or the people of Alabama stand for or believe.
Alabama Governor Kay Ivey has replaced her director of early childhood education, Barbara Cooper, over the use of a teacher training book, written by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), that she denounced as teaching "woke concepts" because of language about inclusion and structural racism. The book is a guide for early childhood educators and is not a curriculum taught to children. The NAEYC did not address Ivey's statements but said the book is a research-based resource for educators. Alabama's First Class voluntary pre-kindergarten programs operate more than 1,400 classrooms across the state.
Alabama Governor Kay Ivey has replaced the state's director of early childhood education, Barbara Cooper, over the use of a teacher training book that Ivey denounced as teaching "woke concepts" due to its language about inclusion and structural racism. The book in question is the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Developmentally Appropriate Practice Book, 4th edition. The book is a guide for early childhood educators and is not a curriculum taught to children. The NAEYC is a national accrediting board that provides high-quality education materials and resources for young children.
Alabama Governor Kay Ivey has replaced the state's director of early childhood education, Barbara Cooper, over the use of a teacher training book that Ivey denounced as teaching "woke concepts." The book in question is the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Developmentally Appropriate Practice Book, 4th edition, which includes language about inclusion and structural racism. Ivey's office cited two examples from the book, one discussing white privilege and another that Ivey's office claimed teaches LGBTQ+ inclusion to 4-year-olds. The NAEYC is a national accrediting board that provides high-quality education materials and resources for young children.