eNotes
June 5, 2015In this Issue:
- RAISING OF AMERICA - Movie Screening and Panel Discussion Source: U.S. Department of Education - June 1, 2015
- Early Childhood State Advisory Councils - Final Report Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Early Childhood Development - June 2, 2015
- Trends and Innovations in Early Childhood Education Workforce Development Source: BUILD Initiative - June 3, 2015
- Build a Scaffolding of Support Source: The Heckman Equation - June 5, 2015
- Being Black Is Not a Risk Factor: A Strengths-Based Look at the State of the Black Child Source: National Black Child Development Institute - June 5, 2015
- Word Health: Addressing the Word Gap as a Public Health Crisis Source: Too Small to Fail - June 5, 2015
1. RAISING OF AMERICA - Movie Screening and Panel Discussion
A sneak preview of "THE RAISING OF AMERICA: How Can We Work Together to Raise Awareness about the Importance of Early Childhood Education?" will be presented on June 15, 2015, 10:00-11:30 at the U.S. Department of Education. This documentary film explores how a strong start for all kids can lead to a healthier and more equitable America. After the viewing, a panel of senior leaders in the U.S. Departments of Education and Health and Human Services will lead a discussion on the film. The event will air on the EDstream network with live captioning. To access the event, go to http://edstream.ed.gov/webcast/Play/b43c81115467427694d21fc5ef0867e91d. Learn more about THE RAISING OF AMERICA here.
2. Early Childhood State Advisory Councils - Final Report
The Race to the Top-Early Learning Challenge and Preschool Development grants required states to maintain an active, fully functioning State Advisory Council (SAC) on Early Childhood Education and Care. On June 2, 2015, Early Childhood State Advisory Councils - Final Report was released. The report highlights significant accomplishments by the State Advisory Councils in eliminating existing barriers between early childhood programs and supporting stronger early childhood systems. Learn more about the Early Childhood State Advisory Councils here.
3. Trends and Innovations in Early Childhood Education Workforce Development
The BUILD Initiative has released Trends and Innovations in Early Childhood Education Workforce Development by Randi B. Wolfe, chapter four of the new E-book, Rising to the Challenge: Building Effective Systems for Young Children and Families (2015). This chapter reviews the workforce development efforts in seven states that received Early Learning Challenge grants. It highlights common trends, ongoing challenges, and promising practices - such as expanding the capacity of professional development systems; creating stronger career paths; and coaching supports and incentives to make professional development more accessible and affordable. Integrated throughout the chapter is an emphasis on addressing disparity (e.g., income, home language, race, culture) as it impacts early learning and development.
See a related BUILD blog post by Joan Lombardi. All of the chapters released to date are available on BUILD's Early Learning Challenge webpage. Additional chapters will be coming soon.
4. Build a Scaffolding of Support
A recently released resource from the Heckman Equation, Build a Scaffolding of Support, outlines eight guiding principles for effective investments in early childhood development that promote positive social and economic outcomes by building a "scaffolding of support" around disadvantaged young children and their families.
5. Being Black Is Not a Risk Factor: A Strengths-Based Look at the State of the Black Child
A new report from the National Black Child Development Institute (NBCDI), Being Black Is Not a Risk Factor: A Strengths-Based Look at the State of the Black Child is designed to challenge the prevailing discourse about Black children, which overemphasizes limitations and deficits and does not draw upon the considerable strengths, assets and resilience demonstrated by children, families and communities.
6. Word Health: Addressing the Word Gap as a Public Health Crisis
A new report from Too Small to Fail, Word Health: Addressing the Word Gap as a Public Health Crisis (May 2015), discusses the research about early brain development and the importance of closing the "word gap" by empowering parents to talk, read and sing with their children. It provides a framework for considering early childhood development broadly, and the word gap specifically, as not only a school readiness issue, but also as a public health issue.