Webinar—From Rescue to Rebuild: Developing a National ECE System That Works
Hosted by the Learning Policy Institute, New America, and the Education Policy Initiative
The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this video belong solely to the speakers, and do not necessarily reflect the perspective of the Learning Policy Institute.
Between historic bipartisan investments to stabilize and expand access to child care in 2020 and new proposals from Congress and the Biden Administration, the nation is poised to significantly increase access to quality early childhood education (ECE). These investments are acutely needed to ensure that all children—particularly children from families with low incomes—have access to high-quality ECE; working and middle class families have access to affordable care; and early educators are supported and adequately compensated.
As Congress and the Administration consider their next major investments in ECE, however, they need a vision for a new and better system. How do we ensure that our many early childhood programs—including child care subsidies, Head Start, state preschool, and special education programs—can be a system of coherent support from birth through early elementary? Experts addressed this question in a webinar, “From Rescue to Rebuild: Developing a National ECE System That Works.” The webinar focused on long-term federal policy solutions to build a comprehensive, equitable, and integrated early learning system, drawing from the work of the Learning Policy Institute and New America, as well as the authors of Cradle to Kindergarten: A New Plan to Combat Inequality. It also addressed concrete actions that policymakers can take in the near term with federal stimulus funds.
Speakers
- Laura Bornfreund, Director, Early and Elementary Education, New America
- Heather Boushey, Member, Council of Economic Advisers
- Miriam Calderon, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Early Learning, U.S. Department of Education
- Ajay Chaudry, Professor, New York University and former Deputy Assistant Secretary for Human Services Policy at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
- Linda Darling-Hammond, President and CEO, Learning Policy Institute
- Josie Emmrich, Owner and Operator, Loving Beginnings Child Care and Preschool
- Hanna Melnick, Senior Policy Advisor, Learning Policy Institute
- Christina Weiland, Associate Professor, University of Michigan
- Pre-recorded remarks from U.S. Representative Rosa DeLauro, Chair of the House Committee on Appropriations (D-CT) and U.S. Senator Patty Murray, Chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee (D-WA)
