Abstract
This chapter discusses the ecosystems that support children and families in early care and education, that lead to the transition into K-12 schools. Since America's inception, child rearing and development have been considerations for families, but as the nation industrialized and racially and socially integrated the need for public systems of care and education emerged. In recent times, state governments have established various accountability systems to create more “cohesive, equitable, and effective early childhood systems.” These systems gatekeep the conditions for early care and education. However, government is not the sole early childhood stakeholder. Parents, providers, teachers, community members, and researchers are all stakeholders in the research, policy, practice, and governance of early care and education. This chapter delves into the why behind policy and governance—who supports children's earliest years and what are the considerations to do so equitably and efficiently to provide a smooth transition to elementary education?
TopIntroduction
Defining the word gatekeeper often extends beyond a person who controls access to someone or something (Merriam Webster) to referring to a person who is accountable, bears responsibility, or shapes an experience. In other words, this can be a person or authority who provides access to a particular opportunity or resource, but also can block access to those same benefits. Gatekeepers have the dual ability to grant full access or to limit someone from those resources, thus it is an important role. There are gatekeepers in almost every institution in the United States, from healthcare where there are doctors and nurses responsible for diagnoses and care and administrators who manage medical institutions; to the economy; and our educational systems. Institutions, and the gatekeepers who provide access to them, are governed by their own set of values, principles, or structures that determine how the institution should run. Both internal and external factors play a role in shaping an institution’s operation such as a core mission and vision, but also the influence of outside funders, political ideologies, or advocacy groups. And those stakeholders can become inextricably tied to the ecosystem of an institution. In the U.S., the founding principles of the country included individualism, work and production, and to many extents—privacy. These values show up in educational practices and governance and are its own form of accountability and are held by many Americans, while others such as justice, equity, and public goods serve as the lighthouse for others. There are also deep, systemic barriers to accessing child care and early education services for low-income families, families of color, and immigrant communities, with race and income being closely correlated factors when examining the effects of a child’s school achievement (Falk, B., Bowman, B., & Ray, A., 2012). In education policy and practice, we see how various value systems and realities are reflected in decision-making.
In early care and education policy, gatekeepers include parents, often acknowledged as a child’s first teacher; child care providers; early educators in schools and early learning environments; policymakers; and an ecosystem of education philanthropists, non-governmental organizations, and academics and researchers. Many of these players hold more than one role, for example being a parent as well as a child care provider. Investments in the early years of life have drawn increasing bipartisan support over the years, especially on aspects like early literacy for school readiness (National Governors Association), and are attributed to benefits to children, families, and society at large. These outcomes include real cost savings and gains that generate financial returns; but also, exposure to learning opportunities and healthy development for children; opportunities to pursue education and employment for parents and family members; and mitigating expensive interventions later in life (University of Pennsylvania).
For the purposes of this chapter, we will take a deep dive into the education and care of young children. In this country, we have a multi-tiered education system that is comprised of three main sections—early childhood education, typically thought of as learning that takes place before kindergarten; Kindergarten through grade 12 schooling (often shortened to K-12); and postsecondary education.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF): The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program provides states and territories with flexibility in operating programs designed to help low-income families with children achieve economic self-sufficiency (Administration for Children and Families, Office of Family Assistance, n.d.).
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP): SNAP provides nutrition benefits to supplement the food budget of needy families so they can purchase healthy food and move towards self-sufficiency (US Department of Agriculture, n.d.).
Child Care Development Block Grant (CCDBG): A federal funding stream administered by states used to provide child care subsidies to low-income working families (National Head Start Association, n.d.).
Early Care and Education (ECE): Experiences in the first years of a child’s life in settings within and outside of the home.
Quality Rating and Improvement Systems (QRIS): A QRIS is a systemic approach to assess, improve, and communicate the level of quality in early and school-age care and education programs. Similar to rating systems for restaurants and hotels, QRIS award quality ratings to early and school-age care and education programs that meet a set of defined program standards (Administration for Children and Families, Office of Child Care, n.d.).
Child Care Development Fund (CCDF): The CCDF is a federal and state partnership program (over $5 billion in federal funding) authorized under the Child Care Development Block Grant Act (CCDBG) and administered by states, territories, and tribes with funding and support from the Administration for Children and Families’ Office of Child Care. States use CCDF to provide financial assistance to low-income families to access child care so they can work or attend a job training or educational program (Administration for Children and Families, Office of Child Care, n.d.).
Unique Identifier (UI): Unique child identifier: A single, unduplicated identifier that is assigned to and remains with a child throughout his or her participation in early childhood programs (US Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 2014).