The President’s
Budget Proposal: A Groundbreaking Moment for Our Nation’s Babies
This is the title that caught my eye this week as I was
browsing through the zero to three web-sites.
The President’s Plan for Early Education for All Americans includes $1.4
billion to expand the head start program specifically targeted to create high quality
child care for babies and toddlers. Zero
To Three authors remind the reader that brain research shows that babies are
born wired to learn and that those who lack quality early learning can fall
behind. The president’s plan also extends
to home visits before their first birthday. This article celebrates what they
feel is a good start in using the information and research we have to further
expand a program that has been proven successful for almost 20 years in both
child and parental outcomes (2013).
Another interesting even that I found out about this week in
browsing poverty issues in my area is an upcoming poverty simulation. During a simulation, participants role-play
the lives of low-income families, from single parents trying to care for their
children to senior citizens trying to maintain their self-sufficiency on Social
Security. The task of each family is to provide food, shelter and other basic
necessities during the simulation while interacting with various community
resources staffed by volunteers. I will share my experience at a later time!
Zero To Three. (2010) The President’s Budget Proposal: A
Groundbreaking Moment for Our Nation’s Babies. Retrieved from http://www.zerotothree.org/public-policy/press-release-presidents-budget-proposal.html
Lori,
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing the link to this article! $1.4 billion should certainly help our field moving forward, let's hope this significant investment is used wisely and focuses on children and families rather than focusing only on improving standardized test scores. Investing in home visits sounds like a promising start!
I personally enjoy viewing the zero to three website. It always shares great ideas for working and supporting infant care. Yes, $1.4 billion dollars is a great start at changing and supporting infant care and education. I worked with infants for many years before I was transferred to preschool. I love infants and believe that they should receive the necessary funding that will better their education experiences. It is during infancy that children learn so much information that prepares them for their future. Thanks for sharing!!
ReplyDeleteAwesome article. It is great to hear the President's plan. Right now, Head Start is suffering a 5.5% sequester cut that is retroactive to December 2012. My agency is being forced to lay off 10 staff members by July and we have lost 300 Head Start slots. We have a lot of families devistated by this news. I hope his plan gets approved a restore all of the Head Start programs in the near future.
ReplyDeleteI cant see why this article has caught your eye. 1.4 billion dollars would help these head start programs provide the best and high quality education that every young child should have. I believe home visits is such a good idea, especially for the caregiver or teacher to get a sense of what the child has, does and acts at home. Thank you for sharing.
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