Sharing Web Resources

Zero to Three: National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families: Learning about Ending Child Poverty Now

In the newsletter I received from Zero to Three, they focused on many different topics the one that is truly effecting preschool is poverty. According the (One of the resources in the newsletter) “Nearly 15 million children in America lived below the official poverty level — $23,834 for a family of four — in 2013, based only on cash income.” Child poverty is due to low wage, poor living environment and social issues. Children’s brains develop for birth to 5 the most because of the plasticity in their brain. However, with a lack of nutrition in a child’s brain does not develop the way it is supposed to. “…More than 1 in 5 children under age 5 living in poverty during the years of rapid brain development” (Ending Child Poverty Now) and without food child will physical and mentally starve.

 This week I will be exploring The Pew Charitable Trusts (PEW) website, these group of dedicated researchers are on a mission to help create high quality education for preschoolers. For the last 10 years PEW has helped congress and educators better understand the needs of the children through extinctive research.   The site is very simple and user friendly and has a section for research/analysis and a media center. They speak about poverty and crime in the research done to better understand the cause and effect of poverty. I choose this site because PEW is fighting for change by continuing research and helping policies to be passed.

Research and analysis

1.      The Pew-MacArthur Results First Initiative in Colorado

a.       “In summer 2014, the Pew-MacArthur Results First Initiative partnered with the state of Colorado to incorporate the Results First approach into the state’s budget and policymaking processes.” (PEW)

The budget created through this partnership will help the state with research “…on adult criminal justice, juvenile justice, and child welfare programs and policies to inform agency and legislative budget decisions by July 1, 2015.” Through planning and budgeting state can learn about how to reduce crime and provide better education for people so they do not move in a negative direction. Crime and poverty have been linked together through research, by gaining knowledge of what have caused criminal activity researchers can look an environment and address issues in communities and break the cycle.

2.      Massachusetts’ Evidence-Based Approach to Reducing Recidivism

a.       “In March 2012, Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick, Senate President Therese Murray, and House Speaker Robert DeLeo invited the Pew-MacArthur Results First Initiative to collaborate with the Special Commission to Study the Commonwealth’s Criminal Justice System. Through this effort, Massachusetts is laying the groundwork for a strong evidence-based approach to policymaking that can decrease criminal justice spending, reduce crime, and improve public safety” (PEW, 2014).

“Recidivism is one of the most fundamental concepts in criminal justice. It refers to a person receives sanctions or undergoes intervention for a previous crime” (National Institute of Justice). By understanding way people repeat an offence, we can gain the knowledge of when causes a children pick up on criminal behavior. For example, a child’s environment, health and safe of a child, can affect how their behavior. If a child is attending a low quality preschool, the school may not have the ability to provide the resources and have the education to help the student succeed in class because they do not know how to address the social issues that are affecting the child’s lives.  

Media

3.      Arne Duncan: How Pre-K Levels the Playing Field

a.       U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan wants every child — particularly disadvantaged children — to have access to high-quality pre-k programs. Listen to Secretary Duncan speak about leveling the playing field for children with pre-k.

In this media clip Duncan explains 60% of the low income children and 1/3 of middle class children go into kindergarten not knowing their Alphabet. This is information was a shock to me, but it is something that I believe. Rather this be due to poor preschools, no educational background or starting last in preschool, these number are going to affect the achievement gap. If children are not able to attending preschool they will behind and they will be struggling in preschool.  Through this research we can see a need for better educational plans, accountable on educator’s part and parents and developing high quality centers.

4.      Wendy Kopp: All Children Deserve an Exceptional Education

a.       “Teach for America Founder and CEO Wendy Kopp believes all kids deserve an exceptional education. Listen to Kopp speak about how starting earlier with high-quality pre-k can ensure school success and a love of learning for children” (PEW, 2011).

Closing the achievement gap is important, but setting the foundation for children to graduate high school is greatly important. Through the researcher shared preschool set the foundation for a successful educational path. Children who do not read fluently by the third grade are four time more likely to drop out of school and not graduate high school. Create high quality preschool help support the movement to close the achievement gap.

5.      Pre-K Now: Marking a Decade of Pre-K Milestones

a.        “A decade of pre-k policy wins has made a Pre-K-12 education system within our nation's reach. U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, Teach for America CEO and Founder Wendy Kopp, American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten, Harlem Children's Zone President and CEO Geoffrey Canada and Pew Center on the States Managing Director Susan Urahn talk about why we must re-imagine public education as a system that begins, not with kindergarten, but with quality pre-k and builds on that foundation to raise performance in later grades” (2011).

The video “Pre-K Now: Marking a Decade of Pre-K Milestone touched my heart because Pre-K is in dire need or change and reform. So many of the speakers started speaking and the change that can be implemented now because we have some much research that have been conducted. One of the statements that that hit me the most state… if we want to prepare a child for life, we have to take advantage of their nib minds between birth and five-year-old. This statements reminds me that sometime educators are limiting and not pushing our students to the next level in learning.