Cross-partisan collaboration for little kids
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.
I recently came across a Mary Oliver poem titled “Don’t Hesitate,” and it ends with the line: “Joy is not made to be a crumb.”
That idea has been in the back of my mind the last few weeks as I’ve spoken with a center director who’s worried about making payroll without stabilization grants, another struggling to staff brand new infant and toddler classrooms (stay tuned for this Profile in Care soon), and a researcher whose evidence-based project on trauma-informed child care is ending abruptly amid changes to government funding priorities. All three educators made a point of talking to me about how they maintain hope or joy in moments of uncertainty.
Joy is not made to be a crumb.
So here are three things bringing me joy and hope in the early childhood policy space as we wait to see what North Carolina and federal policymakers decide about the future of early care and learning:
- Seeing folks from across the political spectrum and the early care and learning landscape work together at the second meeting of Gov. Josh Stein’s Task Force on Child Care and Early Education. I’m sure the gorgeous conference room at the NC Rural Center contributed to the excellent vibes, but so did the commitment of the people in the room, who were listening attentively, asking practical questions, and collaborating on how to support our state’s youngest learners, working parents, and passionate educators.
- Reading about the success of Multnomah County’s Preschool for All initiative, which Liz and I saw firsthand during our visit to Portland, Oregon, in 2023. I maintain that the best teaching I have ever seen in my entire life — which includes more than three decades in classrooms as a student, a teacher, or a researcher — was happening in a pre-k class in Multnomah County. It’s so encouraging to see local initiatives succeeding, and it reminds me of how lucky North Carolina is to have a variety of promising local initiatives of our own. (You can read about two here.)
- Learning from Liz about the amazing work of One Place (Onslow County’s Smart Start partner) to create a Children’s Advocacy Center that provides a child-friendly environment alongside access to multidisciplinary professionals and resources for children who have experienced abuse. Because of this model, perpetrators of abuse are found guilty in 97% of prosecuted cases. Knowing that children and families in Onslow County have this kind of support when they need it most gives me hope for their futures.
Finally, being a part of this community brings me joy and hope too. Thanks for letting us into your inboxes and your classrooms, and for always telling us what our work means to you when you see us out in the world. It’s an honor to work beside y’all for our students, our state, and our future.
More from EdNC on early childhood
Child care ‘deep dives’ from the second meeting of Gov. Stein’s task force
The North Carolina Task Force on Child Care and Early Education met in Raleigh for the second time on Monday,...Proposed legislative reforms would loosen regulations on child care staffing and capacity
This article was originally published by NC Health News. Child care providers and advocates spent the last year sounding the alarm about...New report finds North Carolina at risk of falling behind in pre-K spending, enrollment
The 2024 State of Preschool Yearbook saw North Carolina moving up from 29th in the nation to 28th in preschool...Child care programs consider closing following the end of stabilization grants
“I’ve been an advocate for a long time. I love children. I love families. But at some point, your hands...Survey highlights support for extending child care subsidy eligibility to early childhood educators
As legislators consider extending child care subsidy eligibility to child care teachers, a new survey shows broad support for the...Stein, Hunt, and Green urge Congress to maintain funding for Head Start
Gov. Josh Stein joined the Smart Start Conference in Greensboro on Wednesday to highlight his priorities for child care and...This child abuse intervention model is making a difference in Onslow County
Editor’s note: This article discusses mental health and abuse. Before Mike Yaniero served Jacksonville for two decades as its police...New partnership between Book Harvest and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina to distribute books statewide
Book Harvest, a Durham-based nonprofit organization, recently announced a partnership with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (Blue...The big picture for little kids
Legislative Updates
“Crossover” — the deadline by which bills must pass one chamber to still have a chance of becoming law (with some exceptions) — was Thursday. The House budget proposal is expected soon. Go here for the Senate proposal’s child care components, and here for Gov. Josh Stein’s. The bills that are still at play include:
- Child care regulatory changes: House Bill 412 and Senate Bill 528 would make people with five years of child care experience eligible to be lead teachers and increase maximum class sizes. They have some key differences, including that HB412 would allow programs to hire one lead teacher for every two groups of children (instead of one) and would divorce subsidy rates from QRIS ratings, a move advocates say could mean less funding for most participating child care programs.
- Academies to expand teacher pool: House Bill 389 would create a 12-county pilot, launching “child care academies,” free trainings to prepare individuals in 2-3 weeks to become lead teachers in licensed child care settings.
- Subsidy funding and post-Helene rebuilding: Senate Bill 412 is still at play since bills with attached funding automatically make crossover. It would allocate an additional $123.5 million each year to the child care subsidy program and create a pilot to increase child care capacity in western counties impacted by Helene.
- Child care for child care teachers: House Bill 800 would allocate a one-time $10 million for a two-year pilot to cover the cost of child care for child care teachers, among other components.
- Behavioral and mental health funding: House Bill 542 would allocate $7.5 million each year to the North Carolina Partnership for Children for mental and behavioral health services for children, educators, and families in child care settings.
These are not all of the early childhood bills — just some highlights from Liz. EdNC will publish a comprehensive round-up of the surviving bills that impact students across the educational spectrum later this week.
News & Research
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Portland’s Universal Pre-K Proposal Was Hailed as a ‘National Model.’ How’s the Rollout Going? - From EdSurge
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Strengthening Availability and Access to Child Care in Rural Communities - From NC Early Childhood Foundation
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Young Children Face Greater Risks at School from Office for Civil Rights Reduction - From New America
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A Path Forward on Child Care Regulation: Differentiating Between Harmful Deregulation and Helpful Reform - From Center for American Progress
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Email mistake reveals secret plans to end research on Head Start and other child safety net programs - From AP
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2Gen Collaborative Toolkit: A Place-Based Approach to Supporting Families - From Ascend at the Aspen Institute
Taking flight! Opportunities to spread your wings
International Early Childhood Inclusion Institute - From UNC Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute
Date: May 13-15, 2025
Location: Chapel Hill, participate in-person or virtually
From the organizers: As one of the world’s premier educational opportunities for anyone involved in the care and education of young children with disabilities (birth to age 8) in inclusive settings, the Institute has drawn people from across the nation and around the world to Chapel Hill to:
- strengthen current and develop new collaborative relationships and cross-agency systems that support early childhood inclusion of young children with disabilities;
- discover evidence-based practices, resources, and tools for promoting opportunities for including children with disabilities; and
- meet, learn from, and problem-solve with peers.
The PN-3 Sector's Role In Upstream Child Welfare Prevention - From Pritzker Children's Initiative
Date/Time: May 14, 2025, 2-3 p.m.
Location: Virtual webinar
From the organizers: You are welcomed to join us for, “The PN-3 Sector’s Role in Upstream Child Welfare Prevention,” a webinar featuring experts from Chapin Hall, the PN-3 Policy Impact Center and more who will share information about policies and interventions proven to prevent unnecessary child welfare involvement and family separation by proactively meeting families’ social, economic and caregiving needs.
Building on the presentation, a panel discussion with system leaders and lived experts will explore the implementation and real-world impact of these policies.
BCDI-Carolinas screening of "Take Care" documentary - From BCDI-Carolinas
Date/Time: May 15, 2025, 6-7:30 p.m.
Location: 1415 Vantage Park Dr., Charlotte, NC 28203
From the organizers: Across North Carolina, families, educators, and businesses are feeling the weight of a child care system on the brink of collapse. “Take Care” sheds light on this crisis through powerful stories and lived experiences, showing that it’s not just a family issue, but a community issue, an economic issue, and a future-of-our-children issue.
Join us for an evening of awareness, dialogue, and action as we explore what’s at stake and how we can collectively respond.
This is more than a screening—it’s a call to champion solutions for our youngest learners, their families, and the educators who make it all possible. Your voice and presence matter in this conversation.
PBS North Carolina Impact Early Childhood Education Summit 2025 - From PBS North Carolina
Date: June 7, 2025
Location: Albert H. Anderson Jr. Conference Center, Winston-Salem, N.C.
