A variety of accessible, high-quality choices for families across income levels
Access to affordable childcare near home gives parents and caregivers time to work or go to school while having confidence that their young children are receiving meaningful instruction from trained educators, therefore enabling economic stability for households. And it is essential to make sure families have high-quality choices even if their choice is to keep children at home. Those choices mean families are less stressed and capable of maintaining a stable home, in turn creating more stable communities. As an added benefit, many different delivery methods for early learning open opportunities for diversified funding streams for those programs.
Support for educators and programs with a specific focus on language development and school readiness
Frequently cited research identified a 30-million word gap between students who grow up in areas of concentrated poverty when compared to peers with access to opportunities and resources. This affects the development of oral language at early ages – and by the time children enter the classroom can create a significant difference in how they are able to understand, respond, and be ready to learn. Providing support, training and resources for teachers, as well as programs focused on language development and school readiness, are critical to helping children in distressed neighborhoods develop core skills to thrive.