Public Policy Archives - Early Learning Nation

Children’s Advocate Peggy Flanagan Poised to Become First Native Woman Governor

Minnesota's lieutenant gov promoted free school lunch & Indigenous curriculum, served on Minneapolis's school board and was Walz's political mentor.

Beth Hawkins·Oct 24, 2024·14 min read

The first night of the Democratic National Convention, vice presidential candidate Tim Walz’s lieutenant governor strode onto the stage to...

Early Ed, Rebounding After COVID: Report Shows Pre-K Enrollment Hitting Record Levels

Mississippi and New Mexico were among the top states making gains in the 2022 school year.

Linda Jacobson·Oct 2, 2024·5 min read

Four-year-olds entering pre-K in Mississippi’s Lamar County Schools don’t spend their days on worksheets or bent over papers practicing their...

California Added a New Grade for 4-Year-Olds. Here’s How Many Parents Have Enrolled

While the overall numbers of enrolled students are up, the percentage of eligible 4-year-olds enrolled has fallen.

Carolyn Jones and Erica Yee·Sep 26, 2024·8 min read

In July, Gov. Gavin Newsom touted the success of California’ transitional kindergarten expansion, saying enrollment in the $2.7 billion program...

Poverty Wages, Staffing Crisis: New Federal Rule Looks to Sustain Head Start

New federal rule raises annual Head Start teacher salaries by $10,000 over time — but congressional funding is not guaranteed.

Amanda Geduld·Sep 24, 2024·6 min read

Andrea Muñeton has been a Head Start educator in California for 14 years. The work is important but greuling, she...

Care for All: Key Lessons for Child Advocates from the Broader $648 Billion Care Economy

Mark Swartz·Sep 17, 2024·7 min read

Early Learning Nation magazine often focuses on child care and early education, which comprise about one-fifth of the $648 billion...

The Children’s Agenda: What a Harris-Walz Administration Could Mean For Families

Bryce Covert·Sep 10, 2024·8 min read

Just one day after President Joe Biden dropped out of the 2024 presidential election and endorsed his vice president, Kamala...

Long a Stranger to the Spotlight, Child Tax Credit Earns Embrace of Both Parties

Proposals to expand the benefit are coming from every corner as the election — as well as a harsh 2025 deadline — looms

Kevin Mahnken·Sep 3, 2024·7 min read

This article was produced in partnership with The 74. The Child Tax Credit isn’t a subject you’d expect to receive...

Diapers are Missing from the Safety Net. American Families are Paying the Price.

Elise Anderson·Jul 16, 2024·9 min read

Did you know that infants require up to 12 diapers per day? Did you also know this can cost families...

New Report: How Supercharging the Child Tax Credit Benefited Young Children, and What Comes Next

An Interview with Olivia Golden

Mark Swartz·Jun 18, 2024·6 min read

The federal Child Tax Credit (CTC) expanded in 2021 to address hardships families were facing during the pandemic. The size...

Unequal Access: The Failure of Special Education in Indian Country, Part 1

An ELN investigation has revealed a systemic breakdown

Suzette Brewer·May 28, 2024·8 min read

Candy Mink Springs, Okla.—Until Sequoyah Littledeer was almost four, he didn’t speak. As a non-verbal infant and toddler, his parents...

Cover: Why is Child Care So Expensive and What Can We Do About It?

Why is Child Care So Expensive? What We Can Do About It.

Rebecca Gale and Dianne Kirsch (Illustrator)·May 1, 2024·1 min read

Support for this project was provided by Better Life Lab at New America...

“The End User Is a Dollar Sign, It’s Not a Child”: How Private Equity and Shareholders Are Reshaping American Child Care

Elliot Haspel·Apr 22, 2024·55 min read

Cast in America as a pay-to-play system with limited public funding, child care has long struggled with issues like difficult budgetary math, low educator pay, and highly variable quality. An unprecedented degree of investor activity is creating a cascade of risks for the sector, risks which threaten the path toward an inclusive child care system which works well for all children, parents, and early educators.

Get the latest in early learning science, community and more:

Get the latest in early learning science, community and more