We empower states with rigorous evidence to implement effective and equitable policies that ensure all children thrive from the start.
A full-time working mother with an infant and toddler in the District of Columbia has over twice as much money to provide for her family than a similar mom in Georgia! The Prenatal-to-3 Policy Impact Center recently held its fourth annual Research to Policy Summit, which shed light on how state policy decisions significantly impact families' wellbeing. Through a simulated case of a single mother, the event illustrated the influence of state policy choices, emphasizing the vital role of paid family leave in affecting family resources and showcasing the achievements of state leaders in Vermont, North Carolina, and Minnesota in advancing policy solutions to support children and their families.
State legislatures, governors, and agencies are hard at work. The following bills and initiatives are proven, or have promise, to positively impact the health and wellbeing of young children and their families.
President Joe Biden called upon Congress to authorize $16 billion in emergency supplemental funding for child care. This would provide an additional year of child care stabilization funding.
Colorado voters approved Proposition II, which allows the state to keep excess funds from taxes on liquid nicotine and tobacco products to be allocated for its universal preschool program.
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker proposed the consolidation of early childhood programs—including child care, home visiting, and early intervention services into one agency. The change in governance structure requires the governor to work with the General Assembly’s approval.
Massachusetts’s Joint Committee on Education held a hearing for H. 489/S. 301. These bills would direct the state’s Early Care and Education Department to increase the income eligibility for child care subsidies to 125% of the state median income, require the development of an alternative methodology to set reimbursement rates, and develop recommendations to require employers of a certain size to provide child care.
In New Mexico, family and home-based child care providers who complete the Training Home Educators (THE) Accelerator program—a six-month, bilingual, technical assistance program—will receive an incentive of $1,000 or more.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced the creation of the Ohio Promote Resources, Opportunities, and Meaningful Inclusion through Support and Education (PROMISE), an effort to increase supports for young children with special needs. PROMISE will include a scholarship pilot programfor children whose families live at or below 200% of the federal poverty level, along with professional supports for early childhood educators.
The South DakotaGovernor’s Office of Economic Development in partnership with the Department of Social Services is offering $3 million in planning and implementation grants to expand child care options, emphasizing innovative, community-based solutions.
Texas voters approved Proposition 2, which grants authority to local governments to exempt child care facilities from property taxes.
Enhancing Early Childhood Education Workforce Compensation
The Early Educator Investment Collaborative released a brief highlighting a nationwide study that collected feedback from over 4,000 stakeholders in early childhood education. Study respondents said that concrete measures are necessary to rectify wage inequalities among early childhood educators before advancing the National Lead Teacher Certification initiative.
Improving Early Care and Education Through Public Policy
The International Journal of Child Care and Education Policy published a paper that underscores the role of public policy in enhancing child care and early education quality. The author suggests using financial support and regulations, including setting standards for teacher qualifications and child-to-adult ratios, while also advocating for the integration of child care and early education into a unified system.
Breaking Poverty Cycles With Evidence-Based Policies
AnEducationWeekarticle by Sarah D. Sparks reveals that over one-third of children growing up in low-income families during the 1980s remained in poverty into their 30s, and that, if current trends continue, more than 24 million children in poverty today could face a similar fate. The author calls for a multifaceted approach, recommending policies that expand early learning, support higher education access, and improve student health to break the cycle of poverty.
Enhancing Early Relational Health
Nurture Connection released a report that documents how states are advancing policies and systemic changes that support early relational health (ERH) and family wellbeing. The brief provides a 50-state overview of 14 policy and program areas aligned with ERH policy goals, including strategies from the Prenatal-to-3 State Policy Roadmap.
Essential Care Policies
Family Values @ Work and partners are hosting a special event to celebrate National Family Caregivers Month. Tune in to this conversation featuring speakers from some of the leaders of the care movement on November 29 at 3:00 PM in Central Time.
KCBS Radio: On Demand released a podcast episode that features a recent report by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine regarding the issue of intergenerational poverty in the United States. Greg Duncan, a University of California, Irvine professor and the report's author, shared insights on the topic during an interview with KCBS Radio's Liz Saint Jon.
Parenting and Paternity Awareness (PAPA) Curriculum
The Prenatal-to-3 Policy Impact Center is collaborating with state governments and nonprofit organizations to assess the effectiveness of early childhood-focused policies and programs, offering insights on creating conditions for children to thrive. We are currently evaluating the PAPA curriculum—a virtual, video-based initiative aimed at educating young parents about responsible parenting and paternity.
Meet Communications Specialist Raia Meister. Raia joined the communications team in October 2023. In this position, she works cooperatively to support the creation and implementation of strategic goals through social media, email marketing, multimedia production, graphic design, website administration, and a range of events and presentations.
Prior to this role, Raia worked with learners from birth to adult ages, assisted the Arts in Basic Curriculum Institute for the state of South Carolina, and worked in Curriculum Development and Communications at nonprofits and the City University of New York. Raia is also a trained artist and is fond of research, which she leverages in her current position.
Raia graduated from Winthrop University in Rock Hill, South Carolina, with her Master of Arts in Teaching K-12 Art Education degree. She lives in Asheville, NC. Her spare time is dedicated to friends, family, being active in the community, good food, and the outdoors.