Early Ed Roundup: Week of June 2 – June 6

Navigating a Patchwork of Pre-K Funding in Louisiana

Some public schools in Louisiana may start charging parents to participate in the state LA4 pre-k program next year. Like many targeted pre-k programs, LA4 reimburses pre-k providers only for children whose parents’ incomes fall below a certain threshold (for LA4, it’s free and reduced price lunch eligibility). But such restrictions can shut out children from moderate income families that aren’t eligible for free programs but also can’t afford the full cost of pre-k.

Study Shows New Mexico Boosts Kindergarten Readiness

Students in the New Mexico Pre-K program made statistically significant gains in vocabulary, early math and literacy assessments, according to a study of the program by the National Institute for Early Education Research. Gov. Bill Richardson applauded the study, saying that it proves that investment in the program pays off. New Mexico Pre-K, begun in 2005, enrolls more than 2,700 at-risk four-year-olds and has one of the highest quality ratings in the country.

Hurry Up and Wait

The Philadelphia Enquirer covers the more than 5,000 Pennsylvania youngsters on waiting lists for childcare subsidies. The average cost of childcare for an infant in Pennsylvania is $11,200 in a center and $8,090 in a family childcare home–far beyond the means of many low- and moderate-income families. That means a lack of childcare subsidies can force parents to make a tough choice between staying at home–often putting their families’ finances in jeopardy–or putting their children in potentially unsafe care. Pennsylvania children are not alone. Across the country, hundreds of thousands of children are on waitlists for childcare funding. In most cases, the subsidies are a mix of state and federal funding. President Bush froze funding for federal childcare subsidies for the past six years.

The Fed Chief Stops By Harvard

Ben Bernanke got a lot of press about his economic insights in a speech at Harvard University earlier this week, but did you know he also mentioned early education? Sounds like he has been talking to colleagues Rob Grunewald and Art Rolnick …