THE NATIONAL POLICY DIGEST
FROM
NATIONAL POLICY TEAM
VOL. 1, ISSUE 21
DECEMBER 1-15, 2012
Bringing you the latest in state and federal early childhood development policy and research.
Questions, Comments, Suggestions for Improvement? Contact Anna Torsney-Weir.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Federal Updates ............................................................................................................................ 2
Policy Trends and Analysis ............................................................................................................. 2
New Research................................................................................................................................ 3
Other News and Announcements ................................................................................................... 5
News from Our Partner States ....................................................................................................... 5
California ............................................................................................................................... 5
Florida ................................................................................................................................... 5
Louisiana................................................................................................................................ 6
Maine .................................................................................................................................... 6
New York ............................................................................................................................... 6
Washington............................................................................................................................ 7
HIGHLIGHT: RACE TO THE TOP-EARLY LEARNING CHALLENGE GRANTS
Colorado, Illinois, New Mexico, Oregon, and Wisconsin will each receive a share of the 2012 Race to
the Top-Early Learning Challenge (RTT-ELC) $133M grant fund to improve quality and expand access
to early learning programs throughout their states. These five winners join nine existing state
grantees who secured first-round funding last year. Grants of different amounts will be awarded
over a 4-year period in accordance with each state's plan. Read more on the awards here, and more
on the RTT-ELC process and applications here.
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FEDERAL UPDATES
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Affordable Care Act Implementation:
o The Affordable Care Act required states to expand Medicaid coverage to anyone earning up to
138 percent of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL). After the Supreme Court ruled in June that
Medicaid expansion was optional, several states had proposed the idea of expanding Medicaid
coverage to a smaller population (e.g., those at 100 percent FPL). On December 9th, Health and
Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius sent a letter sent to governors saying that states
may not expand Medicaid only part of the way and still get the additional federal funding
provided in the Affordable Care Act. Read more here.
o According to a new analysis by the Commonwealth Fund, consumers saved nearly $1.5B in
2011 as a result of rules in President Obama's healthcare law, which limits what insurance
companies can spend on expenses unrelated to medical care, including profit. Read more here.
 Head Start Recompetition: In a letter to U.S. Rep. John Kline (R-MN), the chairman of the House
Education and the Workforce Committee, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius
answered some questions regarding how the process is unfolding. The letter notes that the agency
received over 500 applications (for 132 current grants), that reviewers have received intensive training,
and that applications will only be released when the winners are announced in the spring.
 Investing in Innovation: The Investing in Innovation grant program, one of U.S. Secretary of Education
Arne Duncan's marquee initiatives, would get a makeover under a proposed set of new priorities
released on December 10th. Up until now, the i3 program, which was initially created under the
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, was geared to projects that addressed the four education
redesign "assurances" spelled out in the stimulus, including improving state data systems, bolstering
teacher quality, turning around low-performing schools, and revamping state standards and
assessments. While the department will still be looking to further its four general principles, they'll also
be aiming future competitions more narrowly at one or more of ten different areas of focus. Read
more here.
 Race to the Top – District Competition: The U.S. Department of Education announced that 16 winners
will share $400M in the Race to the Top district competition. The winners included: traditional districts
such as Carson City, NV, Guilford County, N.C., and New Haven Unified, CA; two large consortia of
school districts in Kentucky and Washington state; and charter schools IDEA public schools and the
Harmony Science Academy consortia, both in Texas, and KIPP in the District in Columbia. The rest of
the winners, who beat out 372 total applicants, are: Charleston County, S.C.; Galt Joint Union
Elementary District, CA, Green River Regional Education Cooperative, KY; Iredell-Statesville,
N.C.; Lindsay Unified, CA; Metropolitan School District of Warren Township in Indianapolis; Middletown
City, NY; Puget Sound Education Service District, WA; and St. Vrain Valley, CO. The grants range from
$10M to $40M, depending on the winner's enrollment, with the two biggest grants going to the Green
River cooperative in Kentucky and the Puget Sound co-op in Washington, which includes Seattle Public
Schools. Miami-Dade is the biggest urban district on the list, having just won the coveted Broad
Prize this year. According to the website, The Department will be posting the applications for the Race
to the Top—District winners soon, including whether any applications included early learning.
For more Federal Updates, see the First Five Years Fund’s website here.
POLICY TRENDS AND ANALYSIS
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0-5 and K-12 Alignment: Julia Coffman from the Center for Evaluation Innovation and Kristie Kauerz
from the University of Washington released “Evaluation PreK-3rd Grade Reforms”, a paper intended to
help stakeholders in early childhood and elementary education think about how to use evaluation at
different stages in the development of a PreK-3rd grade effort. The paper clarifies ideas, approaches,
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and language about evaluating PreK-3rd grade reforms. This brief also spells out when and how to use
evaluation, what kind of evaluation to use in order to maximize its utility, and the type and level of
evidence required from evaluation.
Child Well-Being: A new paper by Urban Institute researchers Julia Isaacs and Olivia Healy, “The
Recession's Ongoing Impact on Children,” examines three key indicators of children's economic wellbeing: the number of children living with an unemployed parent; the rate of SNAP nutrition assistance;
and a predictive measure of child poverty. The First Focus Campaign for Children has released
a companion paper recommending additional steps Congress and the President can take to strengthen
protections for kids.
Dual Language Learners: The Alliance for a Better Community (AFABC) and colleagues nationwide have
been working for the past several years to identify competencies needed by teachers to work
effectively with young dual language learners. AFABC has recently held a webinar to announce the
release of the competencies and support the importance of their use in individual, organizational, and
systemic professional development efforts. The “Dual Language Learner Teacher Competencies
Report” is a three-part publication that includes the aforementioned teacher competencies, an article
(Necessary Dispositions for Teachers Working with Young Dual Language Learners), and a policy brief
outlining policy recommendations needed to advance workforce development that is inclusive of the
needs of dual language learners. PowerPoint slides from the webinar, explaining key points of the
report and the process that led to the development of the competencies, are available to download
here.
Early Language and Literacy: The Language Diversity and Literacy Development Research Group at
Harvard University has released the seventh and final issue of Lead for Literacy, a series of one-page
memos written for leaders dedicated to children’s literacy development from birth to age 9. This issue
focuses on Literacy Curricula.
Youth and Work: The Annie E. Casey Foundation released “Youth and Work”, a new report finding that
nearly 6.5 million U.S. teens and young adults are neither in school nor in the workforce. The report
recommends policymakers adopt a two-generation approach to resolve this issue: economic support
for adults and early childhood development for kids.
NEW RESEARCH
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Achievement Gap:
o A new analysis of federal K-12 education data that provide a deeper and more systematic look
into students’ ability to understand the meaning of words in context than was previously
available from “the nation’s report card” finds stark achievement gaps in vocabulary across
racial and ethnic groups, as well as income levels.
o Researchers found that Mexican-American children between the ages of 2 and 3 demonstrated
language and cognitive skills that were seven months behind those of white peers, whether
they were assessed in English or Spanish. That gap lasted through the beginning of
kindergarten. At the same time, however, the researchers found that the social skills of these
same children rival those of their white peers, despite their lagging literacy and despite coming
from more impoverished households. Read more here.
Autism: A recent study looked at programs for preschool kids with autism spectrum disorders (ASD).
They looked at ones made up of only kids with ASD, kids with ASD and other disabilities, or kids with
ASD and typically developing kids. They found that some kids showed bigger gains in mental skills
when they learned alongside typically developing peers. Read more here.
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Child Neglect:
o “Acts of Omission: An Overview of Child Neglect”, a bulletin from the Child Welfare
Information Gateway, addresses the problem and consequences of child neglect. The bulletin
reviews definitions and strategies for assessing neglect, presents lessons learned about
prevention and intervention, and suggests sources of training and informational support.
Strategies for addressing neglect are included.
o Young children who experience severe neglect bear the burdens of a range of adverse
consequences, including cognitive delays, impairments in executive functioning, and
disruptions of the body’s stress response, says a new Working Paper from the National
Scientific Council on the Developing Child. “The Science of Neglect: The Persistent Absence of
Responsive Care Disrupts the Developing Brain,” explains why severe neglect can cause more
harm to a young child’s development than overt physical abuse, why neglect is so harmful in
the earliest years of life, and why preventive efforts and effective interventions are so crucial in
helping to ensure better long-term outcomes in learning, health, and parenting of the next
generation.
Head Start Research: The Advisory Committee on Head Start Research and Evaluation released its final
report. The Committee was charged with reviewing and making recommendations on the design and
analysis of Head Start program studies. Additionally, the Committee was asked to comment on the
effectiveness of Head Start and Early Head Start (EHS) as well as on current early childhood evidence
and its implications for Head Start and future research. The report outlines a vision for Head Start that
focuses on school readiness outcomes in particular and is supported by data and research.
Health:
o According to a randomized trial conducted by researchers at Umeå University in Sweden, giving
babies born with a low birth weight iron supplements during the first 6 months of life appears
to improve their behavior around preschool age, a randomized trial showed. Read more here.
o According to an article in the New York Times, after decades of reporting rising childhood
obesity rates, several American cities are reporting declines.
o A new paper from the National Bureau on Economic Research entitled “Long Run Impacts of
Childhood Access to the Safety Net” finds that having access to food stamps in early childhood
has positive effects on adult outcomes years later, including health and economic selfsufficiency. Read more here.
Mental Health and Social Emotional Development:
o A new study by researchers at the University of Iowa suggests that cuddling and closeness by a
doting parent or parents in a child’s infancy may make for better-adjusted kids later on in life.
The study found that infants who formed a close bond with even one parent were less likely to
have emotional or behavioral problems when they reach school age compared to children who
didn't experience such relationships. Developing a special closeness with new research a
parent appears to provide these benefits, with either the mother or father. They said their
findings provide further evidence about the influence that family members have at the earliest
stages of a child's mental and emotional development. Read more here.
o The U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) published a
Community Action Guide that focuses on supporting infants, toddlers, and families who are
impacted by caregiver mental health problems, substance abuse, and trauma. The goal of the
guide is to help build responsive communities that respond sensitively to the needs of a family.
Professional Development: The University of Chicago Urban Education Institute (UEI) and the Ounce of
Prevention Fund released a new case study focused on their efforts to create Professional Learning
Communities (PLCs) of teachers, administrators, and family support staff spanning the early childhood
to K-12 spectrum. Members of the PLC represent expertise in teaching or supporting families at each
developmental or grade level from infancy to 3rd grade. The intent of the PLCs is to create
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environments where practitioners take the lead in collaboratively studying and piloting effective,
developmentally informed practices that prepare children for college, beginning at birth. The case
study is accompanied by a video, teaching notes, and supplemental teaching materials, all co-produced
by the Ounce of Prevention Fund and the University of Chicago Urban Education Institute (UEI). All of
the materials can be found here.
OTHER NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
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The NAACP is deploying volunteers across the country in its biggest push for a public education
overhaul since the nation's classrooms were ordered desegregated in 1954. The volunteers will
lobby at the state and county levels for four educational priorities: extended school hours and
years in school; improved teacher training; improved preschool programs; and better targeting of
spending to the neediest of students. Read more here.
IES Director John Q. Easton announced that Thomas W. Brock, nationally known for conducting
rigorous evaluations and using mixed methods to understand community college reforms and other
programs, has been named Commissioner of the National Center for Education Research (NCER),
effective January 14, 2013. Brock comes to IES from MDRC, where he most recently served as director
of the Young Adults and Postsecondary Education Division, leading MDRC’s higher education projects
focused primarily on finding ways to increase academic achievement, persistence, and completion
among low-income college students. NCER, one of four centers in the Institute of Education Sciences,
supports rigorous research to meet the most critical challenges faced by the nation’s education
practitioners and policymakers. The center also funds pre-doctoral and post-doctoral research training
programs for the next generation of education scientists and researchers. Read more here.
NEWS FROM OUR PARTNER STATES
CALIFORNIA
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Instead of using the controversial value-added analysis for evaluating individual teachers, the Los
Angeles school district and United Teachers Los Angeles have agreed to use a mix of individual and
schoolwide data, such as raw state test scores, district assessments and high school exit exams, along
with rates of attendance, suspension, graduation, course completion and other indicators. The
tentative pact puts the nation's second-largest school system at odds with a national trend to gauge
the effect of teachers on student achievement by using a value-added analysis. That method, known in
Los Angeles Unified as Academic Growth Over Time, is opposed by many teacher unions as unreliable;
but it is being used in Illinois, New York, Texas, Florida, Washington, D.C., and elsewhere. Read more
here.
FLORIDA
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The Florida Board of Education unanimously appointed Tony Bennett as the commissioner of
education. Read more here.
Responding to concerns expressed by the state's early learning coalitions, Gov. Rick Scott announced
that he would not move forward with changing how it allocates tax dollars to these agencies next
year. Instead, Scott said that the same funding formula in place this year would be used next year.
Meanwhile, he will establish a working group of stakeholders to study the issue and refine the funding
formula ahead of the 2014-2015 budget talks. The Chairwoman of the Association of Early Leaning
Coalitions said the coalitions were pleased with Scott’s decision. Read more here.
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LOUISIANA
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A committee of the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) approved plans to
overhaul the state's birth to age five early care and education system. The Early Childhood Care and
Education Network Framework, which sparked mostly positive comments from early childhood leaders,
was endorsed by the committee without dissent. Under the plan, the following changes will take effect
for the 2015-16 school year, with pilot projects set for the 2013-14 school year:
o The state will establish early learning performance guidelines for those from birth to age 3 and
academic standards for 3- and 4-year-olds.
o Child Care centers, schools offering PreK, and Head Start programs will get letter grades. State
funding will be linked to how the programs perform.
Read more here and here.
On December 14th, Gov. Bobby Jindal's administration announced a package of $165.5M in cuts,
savings, and funding changes aimed at closing a deficit in Louisiana's budget caused by lower than
expected revenues and higher than expected costs in state education programs this year. The state's
Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) and Department of Health and Hospitals (DHH) take
the largest cuts. The cut to DHH will include a 1 percent cut to provider rates for certain Medicaid
services, as well as the elimination of the Community Hospital Psychiatric Services, dental benefits for
pregnant women, and hospice care, which are all optional Medicaid programs. Much of the cut to DCFS
will come from eliminating vacant positions. DCFS is working with DHH to identify Medicaid eligible
services and other community resources to sustain services. Recipients currently served who have
more intensive needs will be able to seek access and referral of services through the Louisiana
Behavioral Health Partnership (LBHP). DCFS also will integrate into its early childhood training for
providers the core components on how to identify risks and support families with resources in their
community. This is the fifth year in a row that the Jindal administration has had to make mid-year cuts
due to projected deficits. Read more here and here.
A draft of the Birth to Five Early Learning and Development Standards has been posted for review
and feedback on the BrightStart website. The draft will be available for review until the close of
business on Monday, January 7, 2013.
MAINE
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Funding for early childhood programs was significantly reduced in the budget passed by the Legislature
and signed into law by Governor LePage in 2012. The Maine’s Children Alliance analyzed how those
cuts have impacted the number of children and families served by key early childhood programs,
finding that: the waiting list for child care subsidy has increased by over 300 and continues to climb;
Head Start programs have reduced over 200 slots; and the home visiting system is weakened, with 750
families losing eligibility for services, despite new federal funds designed to strengthen and increase
access to home visiting services. Read more here.
NEW YORK
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New York City’s redesigned childcare system is safe for now, but faces cuts in the near future and
increased funding uncertainties, according to a report by a budget watchdog. In 2014, the report
projects, "the child care system under EarlyLearn NYC would decrease by 3,060 slots" because City
Council funding runs out. The unsteady funding stream is an alarming trend, the report notes. Read
more here.
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WASHINGTON
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Voters in Washington State last month elected a state Senate with 26 Democrats and 23 Republicans.
However, on December 10th, Democratic State Sens. Rodney Tom and Tim Sheldon announced they
would create a majority power-sharing coalition with Republicans, throwing control of the
Washington Senate into question. Read more here and here.
The Ounce of Prevention Fund gives children in poverty the best chance for success in school and in life by
advocating for and providing the highest quality care and education from birth to age 5.
The Ounce National Policy Team partners with and supports early childhood leaders in states as they
advance a comprehensive agenda for at-risk children and families. We do this by providing individualized
strategy and policy consultation and resources; facilitating peer-to-peer learning and networking across
states; and supporting Educare Schools and the Educare Learning Network in the development of their
policy and advocacy work.
The National Policy Digest: a bi-weekly newsletter that shares up-to-date and noteworthy developments in
state and federal early childhood news, policy and funding changes, research, policy trends and analyses,
upcoming events, etc. culled from diverse sources in the field. To subscribe, please contact Anna TorsneyWeir, National Policy Associate (atorsneyweir@ounceofprevention.org).
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