This month the National Academy of Sciences released a report that has been thirty years in the making. It answered the question, does quality early childhood education lead to more successful lives as adults? The answer was a resounding yes! Folks in the field have always known this, but having it confirmed by such a data-based institution has provided a great tool for advocating for the transformation that is underway due to the way in which COVID has augmented the need for childcare in our country, and the inequities that surround it.

Mind in the Making shared a video of an interview with Dr. Patricia Kuhl of the University of Washington, one of twelve councilors to the National Academy of Sciences, who talked about the key findings of the report. It found that  high quality early education and child care go hand-in-hand, that teachers and providers need to be trained and educated with a strong knowledge of child development, that high quality also means that it is available and equal for all children and families across the country, and that true systemic transformation will require more funding from government, and the business and philanthropic sectors.

Change is coming though! Thousands across the country are fighting hard, advocating for local, state, and national childcare reform. Legislators, the military, and business leaders are realizing that in order for our economy to successfully rebound from the the devastation of COVID-19, the childcare industry will have to be strengthened and made sustainable for the long-haul. This truly is a pivotal moment in our nation’s history. This report gives me hope, though, that we are not only headed in the same direction, but that we are headed in the right direction, too.

For the full report click here.