Early Ed Roundup: Week of July 28 – August 1

DC Pre-K Act Becomes Law

The District of Columbia Pre-K Enhancement and Expansion Act of 2008 is now public law. The law, which the D.C. Council passed in May, finished the mandatory Congressional review period last week, allowing the legislation to become law and D.C. officials to begin implementing it. Under the new law, D.C. will work to provide high-quality pre-kindergarten for all 3- and 4-year olds in the city by 2013.

Delaware to Create Early Childhood Quality Rating Service

Delaware will roll out voluntary, statewide early childhood quality rating program called Delaware Stars for Early Success. The state successfully piloted Delaware Stars last year at 15 locations. The 5-level rating system rates childcare facilities on teacher qualifications and professional development, learning environment and curriculum, family and community partnerships, and management and administration. The program will also advise low-performing childcare providers about how they can improve their programs. Delaware Gov. Ruth Ann Minner signed the law creating the program earlier this month. The state hopes to have 50 percent of childcare centers and 30 percent of family childcare providers participating in the system by 2013.

Report: Contracts Can Improve Childcare Access and Quality

High quality childcare is crucial for the development of children aged 0 – 3 years, yet many infants do not have access to such care, even with current state assistance programs. A new report from the Center for Law and Social Policy describes how state contracting directly with childcare providers, instead of providing vouchers to parents, has proven to be an effective tool for targeting care to certain communities and specific needs. The report describes how direct contracting can also be a vehicle through which states can promote high quality standards and provide technical assistance in an industry where quality is often hurt by public assistance that pays below-market rates.

Preschool for English Language Learners of All Ages

The Waltham (MA) Daily News-Tribune has an interesting portrait of the Waltham Family School, a preschool where ELL students age 3-5 learn in a specially-designed literacy program while their parents participate in ESL classes in the next room. Children graduate from the program kindergarten-ready and with stronger English skills, while their parents learn English, learn about the local school system, and forge strong connections to their child’s learning and development. Waltham (a suburb of Boston) is one of seven communities in Boston that received an Even Start Literacy Grant, which funds the school.

SRCD’s New Look

The Society for Research in Child Development has unveiled its new website, which makes the useful resources they produce on early education-related policy issues easier to find. Just go to the “Policymakers” tab on the front page and click on “social policy report” or “social policy briefs.” Recent reports have looked at children in immigrant families, early math education, and the costs and benefits of Head Start, among other important issues.