Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 1998-99(ECLS-K), Kindergarten-Eighth Grade Full Sample Resource Guide
This resource guide provides a brief overview of the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 1998-99, Kindergarten-Eighth Grade Full Sample (ECLS-K K-8) and specific instructions for obtaining the ECLS-K K-8 dataset, which you can download to your own computer. It also provides guidance in obtaining access to additional restricted-use data. ECLS-K users should refer to the User Guide, which provides greater detail on the topics discussed.
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Early childhood mathematics education: The critical issue is change
A commentary on changes in the demand for different types of early mathematics education placed upon providers of early education
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The early childhood mathematics education revolution
Research Findings: We are in the midst of a revolution. Prior to the onset of the 21st century, mathematics education in the United States was deemphasized (Geary, 1996), and mathematics as an instructional subject has traditionally been considered above the preschool and kindergarten levels. However, the old regime--the knowledge and philosophies that governed mathematics and early childhood education theory in the last century--has been overthrown. Today, developmental psychologists have begun to map out the specific pathways of mathematical knowledge development from birth to age 8. We now know that prior to elementary school, young children engage in surprisingly complex intuitive mathematical thinking in the areas of number, geometry, measurement, algebraic thinking, and data analysis (for reviews, see T. C. Cross, T. A. Woods, & H. Schweingruber, 2009; J. Sarama & D. H. Clements, 2009). With increased recognition of the importance of early mathematics for later academic success, early childhood mathematics education is now a national priority. Practice or Policy: This article discusses the history, research, and political impetus for the shift in paradigm; the current status of the early childhood mathematics education movement; and the implications for young children and teachers in the United States. (author abstract)
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Early childhood state advisory councils: Status report
An overview of progress made by early childhood state advisory councils on seven mandated activities under the federal State Advisory Councils on Early Childhood Education and Care grant, which provides funds to states to develop comprehensive early childhood systems, and profiles of the advisory council in each state and territory
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Early childhood teacher preparation: Essential aspects for the achievement of social justice
A discussion of a conceptual framework to inform early childhood teacher education programs, and an exploration of its application to an early childhood teacher education program at a college in California
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Environmental exposures in the context of child care
A discussion of recent research on the presence of potentially harmful chemicals in child care settings, the role of staff education in the improvement of indoor child care environments, and the regulation of chemical use in child care settings
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Family child care providers and training
An examination of child care licensing provisions in 23 states related to training requirements for family child care providers in the areas of early childhood education or child development
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Feminist and gender-neutral frames in contemporary child-care and anti-violence policy debates in Canada
A history of the role of feminist thought, advocates, and organizations in the evolution of the child care and domestic violence policies of Ontario and British Columbia, Canada
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Fertility, female labor supply, and family policy
The present paper develops an overlapping generations general equilibrium model for Germany in order to study the impact of public policy on household labor supply and fertility decisions. Starting from a benchmark equilibrium which reflects the current German family policy regime we introduce various reforms of the tax and child benefit system and quantify the consequences for birth rates and female labor supply. Our simulations indicate three central results: First, higher transfers to families (either direct, in-kind or via family splitting) may increase birth rates significantly, but they may come at the cost of lower female employment. Second, the introduction of individual taxation (instead of joint taxation of couples) would increase female employment but might further reduce current birth rates in Germany. Third, it is possible to increase birth rates and female employment rates simultaneously if the government invests in child care facilities for children of all ages. (author abstract)
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Head Start Impact Study (HSIS), 2002-2006 Resource Guide
This resource guide provides a brief overview of the Head Start Impact Study (HSIS), 2002-2006 and specific instructions for obtaining the restricted-use HSIS datasets. HSIS users should refer to the User Guide, which provides greater detail on the topics discussed.
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How preschool fights poverty
Research shows that preschool programs--if they're of high quality--can provide an enormous boost that changes children's lives forever. (author abstract)
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The interface of the national Australian curriculum and the pre-Year 1 class in school: Exploring tensions
The Australian state-based educational system of a national school curriculum that includes a pre-Year 1 Foundation Year has raised questions about the purpose of this year of early education. A document analysis was undertaken across three Australian states, examining three constructions ct the pre-Year 1 class and tensions arising from varied perspectives. Tensions have emerged over state-based adaptations of the national curriculum, scripted pedagogies for change management, differing ideological perspectives and positioning of stakeholders. The results indicate that since 2012 there has been a shift in constructions of the pre-Year 1 class towards school-based ideologies, especially in Queensland. Accordingly, positioning of children, parents and teachers has also changed. These results resonate with previous international indications of "schooling" early education. The experiences of Australian early adopters of the curriculum offer insights for other jurisdictions in Australia and internationally, and raise questions about future development in early years education. (author abstract)
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An international perspective on regulated family day care systems
Despite emerging evidence of the contributors to high-quality family day care, a comprehensive comparison of international family day care systems has not been undertaken. The aim of this paper is to compare regulated family day care (FDC) in Australia, Canada, England and Wales, Germany, Ireland, Japan, Norway, New Zealand, Sweden, and the USA, using standard information about FDC usage and each country's structural characteristics, regulatory approach, quality assurance indicators, supervision and support, and sector challenges. A template was developed by representatives of the International Family Day Care Organisation, including academics, FDC providers, and FDC educators and management staff. The paper demonstrates that, although the existing body of published research is sufficient to provide clear guidance for developing and maintaining quality FDC, this knowledge is not always being applied in current practices. Three practices, each pertaining to several countries, are of concern: (a) minimal requirements for being a regulated FDC provider, (b) minimal quality assurance guidelines, and (c) minimal provider supports. There is great potential to learn from countries that have a high level of success in providing high-quality FDC and strong support for providers and families. (author abstract)
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Is Indiana ready for state-funded pre-k programs?: Revisited
A discussion of the benefits of state-funded prekindergarten programs and of a framework and policy recommendations for developing such a program in Indiana
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Is quality more important if you're quirky?: A review of the literature on differential susceptibility to childcare environments
Evidence concerning the impact of child care on child development suggests that higher-quality environments, particularly those that are more responsive, predict more favourable social and behavioural outcomes. However, the extent of this effect is not as great as might be expected. Impacts on child outcomes are, at best, modest. One recent explanation emerging from a new theoretical perspective of development, differential susceptibility theory, is that a minority of children are more reactive to both positive and negative environments, while the majority are relatively unaffected. These "quirky" children have temperamental traits that are more extreme, and are often described in research studies as having "difficult temperaments". This paper reviews the literature on such children and argues for the need for further research to identify components of childcare environments that optimise the potential of these more sensitive, quirky individuals. (author abstract)
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Lifelong learning and the counter/professionalisation of childcare: A case study of local hybridizations of global European discourses
We provide a historical (genealogical) study of the changes in discourses on adult education since the famous UNESCO conference in Montreal, to present day texts of the European Union on lifelong learning. We also analyse how these changing global discourses on lifelong learning have travelled -- through the hegemony of English language -- to local situations, such as in Flanders. In the case of Flanders, they have paradoxically contributed to a significant counter-professionalisation of the early years workforce. This genealogical case study also shows how research, policy and practice are closely intertwined in their contribution to this paradox. The study shows that genealogical approaches are useful to show both how international influences need to be considered in a globalised world, but also how specific local 'hybridisations' of these discourses are constructed.
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Mathematics in early childhood education: Revolution or evolution?
A summary of the history of debate, since 1960, over the appropriateness of formal mathematical curriculum use in the early years, and a discussion of the possibility of future reform in the area of early educator teacher training in the instruction of mathematics
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The morality of daycare
An increasing number of parents are electing to use daycare to assist them with their parenting from infancy onward. Strikingly, there is scant discussion of whether or not such a practice is morally permissible. In this paper, I shall discuss three different arguments that I believe are implicitly thought to support the use of daycare. I shall argue that the current widespread use of daycare, particularly with respect to infant children, often involves arbitrarily subjugating the needs of children in favor of the desires of parents, and thus is often morally wrong. Finally, I consider a possible fourth argument; one that I believe stands a better chance of justifying the use of daycare, though in the final analysis I argue that it also fails to justify the current widespread use of daycare. (author abstract)
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More great childcare: Raising quality and giving parents more choice
A presentation and discussion of policy proposals in England to improve the availability of high-quality child care
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The mother-citizen and the working girl: First-wave feminist citizenship claims in Canada and discursive opportunities for twenty-first century childcare policy
Canada's welfare state is lopsided: while leading the world in some areas of social investment--most notably health care and higher education--it is a laggard in other areas of social welfare spending, including childcare policies. We find that policy resistance to universal childcare in most regions of Canada today has deep historical roots and is, indeed, embedded into the very framework of the Canadian welfare state: the social citizenship contract. We employ a "bottom-up" perspective on the welfare state focusing on how collective actors, in particular, first-wave feminists and their contemporaries within labor movement organizations, framed and characterized female social citizenship in ways that excluded employed women from full membership and, in this, truncated discursive opportunities by which claims for universal welfare state provisions could be made. (author abstract)
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National Head Start/Public School Early Childhood Transition Demonstration Study Resource Guide
This resource guide provides a brief overview of the National Head Start/Public School Early Childhood Transition Demonstration Study, 1991-1999, as well as instructions for obtaining a copy of the data and for linking the component datasets.
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National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, 1979: Child Surveys Resource Guide
This resource guide provides a brief overview of the children of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, 1979 and instructions for creating an extract dataset which you can download to your own computer. It also offers guidance in obtaining access to additional data from the main sample of mothers and for other family members, as well as guidance in accessing restricted-use versions of the data.
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The new kindergarten
A discussion of universal prekindergarten policy and differing political perspectives surrounding the issue, including commentary on the effects of prekindergarten for both disadvantaged and middle class children and families
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Optimal taxation, child care and models of the household
This paper presents for the first time the properties of optimal piecewise linear tax systems for two-earner households, based on joint and individual incomes respectively. A key contribution is the analysis of the interaction of second earner wage differences, variation in prices of bought-in inputs into household production in the form of child care, and domestic productivity differences as determinants of across-household heterogeneity in second earner labour supply. The analysis highlights the importance of the elasticity of substitution between parental and non-parental child care in determining the relationship between utility and income across households. A central result is that taking account of a richer and more realistic specification of household time use widens the set of cases in which individual taxation is welfare-superior to joint taxation. (author abstract)
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Panel Study for Income Dynamics, Child Development Supplement Resource Guide
This resource guide provides a brief overview of the Panel Study of Income Dynamics, Child Development Supplement (PSID-CDS), and specific instructions for creating an extract dataset which you can download to your own computer. It also provides guidance in obtaining access to additional restricted-use data. This document draws extensively on the official PSID documentation. For complete information about the study, users can refer to the PSID Web site and the PSID-CDS Web site.
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