New Survey Reveals How Child Care Providers Are Faring in Ohio
A recent survey by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) shows that federal and state relief funds have provided critical support for stabilizing child care programs and preventing more widespread permanent program closures. However, these funds do not address the systemic challenges that have plagued the child care market – parents and providers alike – for decades.
This week, NAEYC released new factsheets that provide a more detailed look at how child care professionals are faring in each state including Ohio. The state factsheet demonstrates the urgent need for public investments to recover and rebuild Ohio's quality early childhood education system.
ICYMI: Read Groundwork's New Blog on Investing in Ohio's Youngest Kids
The research is clear: early health, nutrition, and education interventions for infants and toddlers produce dramatic benefits. But did you know that investing in children during the first five years of life can prevent chronic disease and reduce health care costs later in life?
In a new blog published by the Ohio Association of Health Plans, Groundwork Ohio President and CEO Shannon Jones explains how investing early in Ohio's most at-risk children is powerful prevention policy, creating healthier kids who ultimately become healthier adults. Click here to learn more about why we should invest in Ohio's infants and toddlers now – or pay significantly more later.
2020 State of Preschool Annual Report
The National Institute for Early Education and Research (NIEER) has published its annual report on the state of preschool, covering the 2019-2020 school year. This report also provides information on the COVID-19 pandemic’s impacts on state-funded preschool into the 2020-2021 school year.
NIEER's annual report shows that the pandemic imposed huge setbacks on preschool across the nation. Progress had also been uneven across the states, resulting in increased inequality in children’s access to high-quality preschool. You can learn more about the report and check out Ohio-specific data by clicking here.
Upcoming Event: The Future of Early Childhood Education after COVID-19
The early childhood education (ECE) sector in the United States is in a period of disruption and transition. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, the sector grappled with significant challenges. Not only has the pandemic exacerbated these challenges, but it has also created many new ones.
At the same time, this is a period of opportunity for ECE. Innovative local and state leaders have made use of federal funds provided by the American Rescue Plan Act in ways that could produce both short-term and long-term benefits. Meanwhile, the Biden administration has made improving the ECE sector one of its top priorities.
Join the Brown Center on Education Policy at Brookings on Tuesday, August 17 from 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM ET for a virtual discussion that considers the present and future of early childhood education in the United States. The event will feature a panel of experts who will examine where the ECE sector stands nearly 18 months into the pandemic and where it might be headed.
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