Commentary: A Head Start is not the finish line

The child care challenges in the United States are many, and how candidates focus on the issue between now and Election Day may impact the outcome. A new poll indicates that voters want candidates to have a plan to address both child care and childhood education.

“Voters understand the strain that finding and affording care has on families. They also understand the direct connection child care challenges (have) on the economy and the benefit that quality care has on our little ones,” said Sarah Rittling, executive director of First Five Years Fund, which conducted the study. “Now the message to candidates is unequivocal – let’s move beyond defining the problem and get to work enacting tangible, common-sense policies.”

Emphasis on early childhood education is crucial. Nobel laureate James Heckman's research helped policy makers understand that high-quality early childhood programs can yield a 13 percent return on investment annually through better education, health and economic productivity outcomes.

Democrats highlighted their focus on early childhood education at the Democratic National Convention with proposals that align with recommendations from the National Association for the Education of Young Children and the National Head Start Association, advocating for increased public investment in early learning. Expanding Head Start is particularly promising. Studies have shown that former Head Start participants are more likely to graduate high school and attend college.

Republicans have traditionally been lukewarm about using taxpayer money for early child care and education, but on the state level that tide may be turning after Congress in 2021 passed $24 billion of pandemic aid for child care businesses, an unprecedented federal investment. However, as this aid is ending, more and more Republican lawmakers across the country are embracing plans to support child care — and even making it central to their policy agendas.

Whether Republicans running for office will do the same is questionable at best. At a Turning Point Action event in Arizona in late August, conservative pundit Charlie Kirk asked vice presidential candidate J.D. Vance about child care. Vance suggested people turn to their family members to help with child care, or, if family members were not available, to loosen education requirements for child care workers.

Vance spoke further about child care at an event in Mesa, Ariz., on Sept. 4. “Maybe Grandma and Grandpa want to help out a little bit more,” he said. Vance went on to avoid the question of government assistance by saying, “Americans are much poorer because they’re paying out the wazoo for daycare. … Empower working families. Empower people who want to do these things for a living, and that’s what you’ve got to do.”

Former President Donald Trump added little clarity to the Republican position last week when asked about his position on child care.

“But I think when you talk about the kind of numbers that I’m talking about, that — because, look, child care is child care. It’s — couldn’t — you know, it’s something – you have to have it. In this country, you have to have it,” he said.

His rambling continued:

“But when you talk about those numbers compared to the kind of numbers that I’m talking about by taxing foreign nations at levels that they’re not used to, but they’ll get used to it very quickly — and it’s not going to stop them from doing business with us but they’ll have a very substantial tax when they send product into our country.”

Jumping from child care to tariffs on imports certainly does little to clarify his position, nor did this additional remark: “Because I have to say with child care — I want to stay with child care — but those numbers are small relative to the kind of economic numbers that I’m talking about, including growth, but growth also headed up by what the plan is that I just — that I just told you about.”

Given that most families simply cannot rely on family members to assist in child care and education, this answer falls short of seriously addressing the essential role the government should have.

While the political debate continues one thing is clear: Increased funding to expand access is definitely needed, but we must also prioritize the quality and cultural relevance of the early childhood programs our youngest learners will enter. While it is promising that the Democratic Party does mention “quality” child care, the lack of detail on how quality is defined and lack of specific policy proposals for achieving it is troubling. As we work to expand access, we must ensure that early childhood experiences nurture children's development holistically, fostering not just academic skills, but also social, emotional, cultural and linguistic growth.

Research consistently shows that culturally responsive teaching practices lead to better academic and social-emotional outcomes. A 2015 study found that culturally responsive teaching promotes positive identity development and academic engagement in young learners. The Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University emphasizes the importance of responsive relationships and language-rich environments in fostering brain development during the critical early years.

Culturally responsive pedagogy, or culturally responsive education, is an educational approach that recognizes and values students' diverse backgrounds, using their cultural experiences as a bridge to learning. It involves tailoring teaching methods and content to reflect the varied perspectives and backgrounds represented in the classroom, making education more engaging and meaningful for all students.

Now, some critics might argue that emphasizing cultural relevance could detract from academic rigor, contending that focusing on cultural practices takes valuable time away from academic learning or that it might inadvertently reinforce stereotypes. A 2010 study found that culturally responsive practices in preschool settings increased engagement and learning outcomes for diverse students. A 2016 meta-analysis found that culturally relevant education was positively associated with both academic achievement and student motivation across various learning domains and age ranges.

Evidence-based preschool interventions that advance both playful learning and direct instruction have shown significant benefits. Programs grounded in playful learning should inspire joy, support meaning-making, sustain active engagement, and increase children’s social interaction and ability to iterate and become more sophisticated in how they engage with others and the world around them.

By combining the Democrats’ funding agenda with a focus on cultural relevance, rigor and joy, we can create an early education system that centers positive experiences for all of America's children. This approach will prepare our youngest learners academically while nurturing the social-emotional skills and strong sense of identity they’ll need to thrive in our ever-globalized world.

With all we know from brain science today, it’s time we think beyond access and affordability. Every child deserves the opportunity to embrace the fullness of who they are within our education system, starting from birth. This means not only providing diverse young learners a seat at the proverbial preschool table but also reimagining the menu to fully include them, as well.

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Carlis is the chief learning and impact officer for Acelero, Inc., a national for-profit early learning organization. She is a public voices fellow for racial justice in early childhood with The OpEd Project and The National Black Child Development Institute.

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