ERIC Number: ED592610
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2017
Pages: 6
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Toward a More Equal Footing: Early Head Start in Maine. National Issue Brief Number 122
Carson, Jessica A.
Carsey School of Public Policy
Policy makers and advocates nationwide recognize that funding for early childhood education is a crucial investment in the future. Critical foundational development occurs before age 5, and research consistently shows that high-quality early education for children leads to higher future educational attainment and lower likelihood of crime, and yields a return on investment of 7 to 13 percent. Yet accessing affordable, quality early childhood education and care is a challenge for families nationwide. More than a quarter of families with young children are burdened by child care costs, and the availability and quality of child care and education are highly variable across states. One program that connects the most economically vulnerable families with quality early childhood programming is Early Head Start (EHS). Subject to rigorous quality and staffing standards, implemented among the youngest children (prenatally through age 2), and delivered via a two-generation approach, EHS is a significant opportunity for providing quality care and education to a population that might otherwise struggle to access it. This brief explores the characteristics of EHS in Maine, compares them to the national landscape, and connects these findings to a discussion of the federal and state policy climates. [This brief was funded by the John T. Gorman Foundation.]
Descriptors: Early Childhood Education, Early Intervention, Educational Finance, Financial Support, Child Care, Educational Quality, Infants, Toddlers, Prenatal Influences, Teacher Competencies, Home Visits, Poverty, Access to Education, Employed Parents, Educational Policy
Carsey School of Public Policy. Huddleston Hall, 73 Main Street, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824. Tel: 603-862-2821; Fax: 603-862-3878. e-mail: carsey.school@unh.edu; Web site: http://carsey.unh.edu
Publication Type: Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: Early Childhood Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: University of New Hampshire, Carsey School of Public Policy
Identifiers - Location: Maine
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A