{"id":76443,"date":"2023-12-14T10:23:38","date_gmt":"2023-12-14T15:23:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/?post_type=bu-article&#038;p=76443"},"modified":"2024-08-18T01:14:42","modified_gmt":"2024-08-18T05:14:42","slug":"investing-in-early-education","status":"publish","type":"bu-article","link":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/news\/articles\/2023\/investing-in-early-education\/","title":{"rendered":"Investing in Early Education"},"content":{"rendered":"\t<div class=\"wp-block-editorial-leadin news-block-editorial-leadin is-style-text-over-image has-media has-box has-media-focus-center-middle has-text-position-x-center has-text-position-y-bottom has-secondary-theme\">\n\t\t<div class=\"container-lockup\">\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-leadin-media\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<img width=\"1080\" height=\"700\" src=\"\/wheelock\/files\/2023\/12\/Photos-1.png\" class=\"\" alt=\"Shows a teacher in a circle with four children\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2023\/12\/Photos-1.png 1080w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2023\/12\/Photos-1-900x583.png 900w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2023\/12\/Photos-1-768x498.png 768w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2023\/12\/Photos-1-500x324.png 500w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2023\/12\/Photos-1-992x643.png 992w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2023\/12\/Photos-1-1000x648.png 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1080px) 100vw, 1080px\" \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"container-words-outer\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"container-words-inner has-opacity-40\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"wp-prepress-tag\">Early Childhood<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"head\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tInvesting in Early Education\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"deck\">First Conversations with the Dean webinar explores Massachusetts\u2019 recent push to improve outcomes for children\u00a0<\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t\n<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-metabar news-prepress-layout-metabar\">\n\t<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-metabar-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-metabar-date\">December 14, 2023<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-metabar-comments\">\n\t\t\t<a href=\"#comments\" class=\"wp-prepress-component-comment-counter label has-no-comments\"><span class=\"wp-prepress-component-comment-counter-zero\"><span>0<\/span><\/span><\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-metabar-credits\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul data-credit-type=\"By\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/news\/authors\/finn-gardiner\/\">Finn Gardiner<\/a><\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-metabar-share js-bu-prepress-share-tools\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"icon-twitter\"><span>Twitter<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"icon-facebook\"><span>Facebook<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"icon-action\"><\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\n\n\n<p>Although many states increased funding for early childhood education during the COVID-19 pandemic with the help of the federal government, most of them wound down this supplemental funding after state and national emergency declarations were withdrawn. Massachusetts, on the other hand, has continued to back early childhood education initiatives that bolster the workforce, improve data collection on program effectiveness, build a higher education pipeline, provide trauma-informed care, and improve the registration process for eligible families to receive subsidized childcare.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignright size-thumbnail\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"\/wheelock\/files\/2023\/02\/s-curenton-retouched-150x150.png\" alt=\"Photo of Stephanie Curenton\" class=\"wp-image-64978\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2023\/02\/s-curenton-retouched-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2023\/02\/s-curenton-retouched-600x600.png 600w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2023\/02\/s-curenton-retouched-768x768.png 768w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2023\/02\/s-curenton-retouched-826x826.png 826w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2023\/02\/s-curenton-retouched-344x344.png 344w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2023\/02\/s-curenton-retouched-529x529.png 529w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2023\/02\/s-curenton-retouched-682x682.png 682w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2023\/02\/s-curenton-retouched-1032x1032.png 1032w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2023\/02\/s-curenton-retouched-688x688.png 688w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2023\/02\/s-curenton-retouched-1058x1058.png 1058w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2023\/02\/s-curenton-retouched-1000x1000.png 1000w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2023\/02\/s-curenton-retouched-500x500.png 500w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2023\/02\/s-curenton-retouched.png 1200w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2023\/02\/s-curenton-retouched-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2023\/02\/s-curenton-retouched-550x550.png 550w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2023\/02\/s-curenton-retouched-710x710.png 710w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><figcaption>Stephanie Curenton<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignright size-thumbnail\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"\/wheelock\/files\/2022\/09\/AO-updated-photo-Amy-OLeary-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"Photo of Amy O'Leary\" class=\"wp-image-60854\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2022\/09\/AO-updated-photo-Amy-OLeary-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2022\/09\/AO-updated-photo-Amy-OLeary-500x500.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2022\/09\/AO-updated-photo-Amy-OLeary-1200x1200.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2022\/09\/AO-updated-photo-Amy-OLeary-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2022\/09\/AO-updated-photo-Amy-OLeary-600x600.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2022\/09\/AO-updated-photo-Amy-OLeary-550x550.jpg 550w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2022\/09\/AO-updated-photo-Amy-OLeary-710x710.jpg 710w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><figcaption>Amy O&#8217;Leary<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>On November 30, BU Wheelock Dean David Chard hosted the first <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/news\/conversations-with-the-dean\/\">Conversations with the Dean webinar<\/a>, \u201cEarly Education Investment.\u201d He spoke with BU Wheelock\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/profile\/stephanie-curenton\/\">Stephanie Curenton<\/a>, professor and director of the Center on the Ecology of Early Development (CEED), and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/profile\/amy-oleary\/\">Amy O\u2019Leary<\/a>, executive director of <a href=\"http:\/\/www.strategiesforchildren.org\/\">Strategies for Children<\/a>. Experts in early childhood education and policy, Curenton and O\u2019Leary explored Massachusetts\u2019 recent push to improve the quality of early childhood education, especially for those who experience racial or socioeconomic marginalization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-youtube wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"responsive-video responsive-youtube\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Early Education Investment with BU Wheelock Drs. Stephanie Curenton &amp; Amy O&#039;Leary\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/yZJezPAMPdo?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3><strong>Highlights from the Conversation<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h4>COVID-era catalysts for systems change&nbsp;<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\"><p>All the systems we take for granted suddenly became more urgent and important, including childhood and early childhood education. The folks who do this work every day, [and] policymakers and funders and elected officials were able to come together and think about the solutions.<\/p><cite>Amy O&#8217;Leary<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h4>The importance of early childhood education&nbsp;<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\"><p>We\u2019ve doubled down on supporting the most vulnerable families and children, overhauled financial assistance, and brought dignity back to supporting children and families who need the support. Birth to age 5 is such a short time in your life, but it\u2019s critical.<\/p><cite>Amy O&#8217;Leary<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h4>Policymaking isn\u2019t just about passing laws&nbsp;<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\"><p>We always have to remember that policymaking doesn\u2019t just happen on the Hill. Policy implementation is very critical, and I like to encourage advocates to watch and make sure that these funds are being used and implemented in a way that\u2019s going to be helpful for the kids and families that we\u2019re here to serve.<\/p><cite>Stephanie Curenton<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Conversations with the Dean are a series of webinars hosted by Dean Chard that explore some of the most pressing topics in education. Learn more about <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/news\/conversations-with-the-dean\/\">Conversations with the Dean<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Although many states increased funding for early childhood education during the COVID-19 pandemic with the help of the federal government, most of them wound down this supplemental funding after state and national emergency declarations were withdrawn. Massachusetts, on the other hand, has continued to back early childhood education initiatives that bolster the workforce, improve data [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18489,"featured_media":76445,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"bu_prepress_billboard":"","_bu_prepress_primary_term":"Early Childhood","_bu_prepress_primary_term_manual":""},"tags":[7032,4740,4085],"bu-publication":[6614],"magazine-article-category":[],"magazine-topic":[],"news-article-category":[6739,6661,6753,6664],"news-topic":[6725,6936],"bu_edition":[],"media_type":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu-article\/76443"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu-article"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/bu-article"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/18489"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=76443"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu-article\/76443\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":79794,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu-article\/76443\/revisions\/79794"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/76445"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=76443"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=76443"},{"taxonomy":"bu-publication","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu-publication?post=76443"},{"taxonomy":"magazine-article-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/magazine-article-category?post=76443"},{"taxonomy":"magazine-topic","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/magazine-topic?post=76443"},{"taxonomy":"news-article-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news-article-category?post=76443"},{"taxonomy":"news-topic","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news-topic?post=76443"},{"taxonomy":"bu_edition","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu_edition?post=76443"},{"taxonomy":"media_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media_type?post=76443"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}