skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Friday, March 29, 2024

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

The latest on the Key Bridge collapse, New York puts forth legislation to get clean energy projects on the grid and Wisconsin and other states join a federal summer food program to help feed kids across the country.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Republicans float conspiracy theories on the collapse of Baltimore's Key Bridge, South Carolina's congressional elections will use a map ruled unconstitutional, and the Senate schedules an impeachment trial for Homeland Secretary Mayorkas.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Historic wildfires could create housing and health issues for rural Texans, a Kentucky program helps prison parolees start a new life, and descendants of Nicodemus, Kansas celebrate the Black settlers who journeyed across the 1870s plains seeking self-governance.

Lawmakers Meet with Early-Childhood Education Advocates at Capitol

play audio
Play

Thursday, February 23, 2017   

BOISE, Idaho – Early-childhood education advocates of all stripes, including the lieutenant governor, educators, members of the military and business leaders, met with the Idaho House and Senate education committees in two informational meetings on Wednesday. Although advocates are unlikely to see a bill aimed at early education, such as universal pre-school, the meeting was an opportunity to provide legislators with data and a variety of aspects to the topic.

Idaho Association for the Education of Young Children executive director and organizer of the event Beth Oppenheimer, says the meetings didn't just focus on preschool and that educating young children is not one-size-fits-all.

"How can we support parents who are at home?" she asked. "How can we improve the quality of child-care programs who are serving as our preschool programs? Whether it's an at-home program or out-of-home program, there are a variety of ways that we can do this, but we need to start somewhere."

Idaho is one of six states that does not put state money into preschool. Presenters spoke about children's higher achievement as students when they have early-education opportunities, especially children who come from low-income households and may have limited opportunities.

Oppenheimer says members of the justice field provided an interesting angle and data showing that many future criminal offenders were not prepared for school, and advocated for earlier education to help reduce crime.

"Hearing from judges and hearing from prosecuting attorneys and showing the impact that they see and showing that, 'Look, if we could invest in early-childhood education and provide more opportunities, we're not going to be seeing as many people who come through their systems as they do now,'" she said.

Oppenheimer says early-childhood education can help close the achievement gap for children entering kindergarten, where varying levels of education can hinder time in the classroom.


get more stories like this via email

more stories
The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments this week about the popular abortion pill Mifepristone and will weigh in on whether the U.S. Food and Drug Administration was correct in how it can be dosed and prescribed. (Ascannio/Adobe Stock)

Health and Wellness

play sound

Missouri residents are worried about future access to birth control. The latest survey from The Right Time, an initiative based in Missouri…


Social Issues

play sound

Wisconsin children from low-income families are now on track to get nutritious foods over the summer. Federal officials have approved the Badger …

Social Issues

play sound

Almost 2,900 people are unsheltered on any given night in the Beehive State. Gov. Spencer Cox is celebrating signing nine bills he says are geared …


The U.S. teaching workforce remains primarily white while the percentage of Black teachers has declined. However, the percentage of Asian and Latinx teachers is rising.(WavebreakMediaMicro/Adobestock)

Social Issues

play sound

Education advocates are calling on lawmakers to increase funding for programs to combat the teacher shortage. Around 37% of schools nationwide …

Environment

play sound

New York's Legislature is considering a bill to get clean-energy projects connected to the grid faster. It's called the RAPID Act, for "Renewable …

Social Issues

play sound

Earlier this month, a new Arizona Public Service rate hike went into effect and one senior advocacy group said those on a fixed income may struggle …

Social Issues

play sound

Michigan recently implemented a significant juvenile justice reform package following recommendations from a task force made up of prosecutors…

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021