| Election 2016 recap |
The country has a new president-elect, and big changes are in store for Washington. Here in Massachusetts, 12 new state representatives and three new state senators will take office in January. What does this all mean for young children and families? Read our initial recap of news headlines from around the web, and our look at how early education fared in city and state elections nationwide. What can you do moving forward? A lot! Check out our electoral advocacy webpage, and contact research and field associate Laura Healy for tips on how to advocate at the local, state, and national levels. |
| New study points to long-lasting benefits of pre-K |
A new study from the Duke Center for Child and Family Policy has found that “North Carolina’s investment in early child care and education programs resulted in higher test scores, less grade retention and fewer special education placements through fifth grade,” according to a Duke University news release. The study looked at the children who attended the state’s two flagship early childhood programs, Smart Start and More at Four, between 1988 and 2000. Researchers also examined the entire population of children “more than 1 million North Carolina public school students born between 1988 and 2000,” which allowed them to estimate “spillover effects” of the early childhood programs onto the child population at-large. Read more. |
 Check out our Eye on Early Education blog for recent stories you may have missed. |
Four Key Facts About Pre-K Expulsions, November 29 How States are Weaving Early Education into the Implementation of the Every Student Succeeds Act, November 22 Voices from the Field: Jennie Fitzkee, November 4 Full STEAM Ahead for Worcester’s Head Start Program, November 3 The Joy of Teaching Math to 3-Year-Olds, November 1 NAEYC Election Season, October 18 |
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Charlie Baker @MassGovernor Dec 2 Kristen Poisson @mrspoisson1 Dec 1 Taye Diggs @tayediggs Nov 18 Sara Mead @saramead Nov 17 Read by 4th Grade @readby4thgrade Nov 16 Joan Wasser Gish @wassergish Nov 2 Annie E. Casey Fdn @AECFNews Oct 20 Sal DiDomenico @SalDiDomenico Oct 18
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notes from Amy We are encouraged by the steady progress being made for high-quality early education here in Massachusetts. The federal government just awarded our state its third year of Preschool Expansion Grant funding. Thanks to this important federal initiative, five communities in Massachusetts are on the cutting edge of implementing high-quality pre-k. As MA Secretary of Education Jim Peyser notes, “Over the past year, these Pre-School Expansion Programs have begun to show that they are model programs which can help us continue to build high-quality early education programs across the Commonwealth.” We agree. We are eager to share the stories of these programs and the 13-plus communities across Massachusetts that are planning and advocating for preschool expansion. So, take some time to recharge, refresh and recommit to using your voice. We will need to work together to send a clear message to our elected officials, to preserve the progress we have made together and to advocate for meaningful investments in young children, families, and the early education workforce. Best wishes for a happy, healthy holiday season and new year.
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As we reflect on the past year, we have seen many changes, and more changes are sure to come. While we know that change in life is inevitable, our commitment to young children, families, and high-quality early education remains constant. 
