State child care funds coming this month
Early Bird readers, hello again. Newcomers, welcome! If you were forwarded this email, you can sign up here to receive it every two weeks, and join our conversation on issues facing North Carolina’s young children and those who support them. If you’re already a subscriber, please help us reach more people by sharing this with your friends and co-workers interested in early childhood education.
Happy Labor Day! It’s good to be back in your inboxes. After working with EdNC for seven years, I was awarded a monthlong sabbatical this summer. I am so grateful for my time off traveling, resting, and settling into a new home in Raleigh.
Returning to work has served as a reminder of how lucky I am to do what I do — and how much can happen over a summer. Catch up with me.
EdNC released a book and convened early childhood experts.
The team kicked off the summer by releasing a book, “North Carolina’s Choice: Why our public schools matter.” Katie wrote a chapter you don’t want to miss on the role public schools play in our complex early childhood landscape. She then convened early childhood policy experts in July to lift up strategies toward recognizing child care as a public good, with researchers from throughout the country. She also published the story of a child care closure in High Point after the loss of federal stabilization funds, in the latest edition of Early Bird.
A one-time child care payment is coming two months after the cliff.
Stabilization funding officially ended at the start of July. The state legislature allocated $68 million at the end of June to offset the loss of those funds through December, covering about 75% of what programs had been receiving. The Division of Child Development and Early Education is releasing that funding in a one-time payment. Current grant recipients must have submitted the Q11 April-June 2024 Update, and new initial applications must be completed and approved by 5 p.m. September 3.
Child care is the family business, and legacy, in an Asheville program.
EdNC storyteller Derick Lee brought us a powerful story last week of a family that has passed down an Asheville child care center, Christine Watson Avery Learning Center, through three generations. CiCi Watson, its current CEO, was named an “Educator of the Year” this year by the Center for Racial Equity in Education. She is the connecting point between her parents’ civil rights pioneering and her daughters’ commitment to service. They remind me of so many intergenerational child care programs. Spend some time with their story.
Below, don’t miss an update from East Coast Migrant Head Start, a piece on the role of family child care in early intervention, and an urgent call for your input as we head to a national early childhood conference.
More from EdNC on early childhood
The role of public schools in early childhood education
This article is part of a book by EdNC titled, “North Carolina’s Choice: Why our public schools matter.” Here is a free...'The opportunity to do better': EdNC hosts national conversation about early childhood policy
In July 2024, EdNC hosted the annual conference of the Governmental Research Association (GRA) in Asheville. The GRA consists of...CiCi Weston: A story of fortitude and legacy in child care
To fully understand the present, one often has to look to the past. That holds true for CiCi Weston, CEO...New report explores role of race and socioeconomics in achievement gaps
A new report from the Thomas B. Fordham Institute released this week studied the influence of socioeconomic status (SES) on disparities in...Perspective | Family child care is ideal for screening and assessing students in need of early intervention
When I began my journey into the profession of child care in 1997, it was my goal to educate and...Perspective | East Coast Migrant Head Start Project celebrates another year of achievements
In the dynamic world of educational and community service organizations, celebrating milestones is not just about acknowledging success — it’s...Perspective | Caring for a child shouldn’t cause financial catastrophe
I had a baby in 2021 and quickly learned how parenting and child care expenses add up. My husband and...Brief | A stable system of birth-to-five child care and early learning
Editor’s note: This brief was originally published by the North Carolina Early Childhood Foundation on Aug. 19, 2024. It is republished here...The big picture for little kids
News & Research
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Long a Stranger to the Spotlight, Child Tax Credit Earns Embrace of Both Parties - From The 74 Million
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NC’s maternal mortality rate doubled in a 2-year stretch, data shows. Here’s why - From The News & Observer
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Pre-K enrollments and teaching environments in North Carolina elementary schools - From Children and Youth Services Review
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Family Child Care Could Be the Solution for More Access to Pre-K for Rural Families - From The Daily Yonder
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I spent a year researching child care around the world. Here’s what I discovered - From The Hechinger Report
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2024 County Data Dashboard - From NC Child
Taking flight! Opportunities to spread your wings
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Resources for Navigating Summer Heat - From Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University
Heat is with us in the coming weeks in North Carolina. The center provides several resources to understand extreme heat’s harm on child development and how parents, caregivers, educators, and entire communities can protect children.
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Closing the Gap for Black Mamas: Child Care for Health Equity - From Maternal Health Equity Collaborative Perinatal Childcare Program
Wednesday, September 11 | 3:30 pm
From the organizer: “Webinar presenters will share how adding in-home, culturally congruent childcare to existing doula programs in Central Texas is impacting families health and well-being. Attendees will:
- Learn information on how to replicate a perinatal child care program in your area and how to support program continuation
- Hear from program evaluators on key learnings from enrolled families and others involved in the program administration
- Gain insights into what they learned from enrolled families and others involved in the program administration”
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Global award for early learning research, practices - From The Khalifa International Award for Early Learning
Applications are open for international recognition in “Best Research and Studies,” and “Best Programs, Curricula, Teaching Methodologies and Practices.” Applications are due in December.
From the award’s website:
“The Khalifa International Award for Early Learning is an International Education Award founded in the United Arab Emirates. The Award is intended to enhance the educational sector within the UAE, throughout the Arab world at large, and globally by honouring the distinguished efforts of researchers and educators whose efforts inform best practices and policies for early childhood education in all contexts.”
