Trust for Learning

It is here! Our new video on #IdealLearning environments is live, and we couldn't be more excited to share it with you ?? Creating a high-quality ideal learning environment can happen in any setting and any context — whether at home, in family- or center-based child care, or at school. Yet despite tons of research on how young children learn, most kids in the U.S. don't have access to early learning environments that support optimal cognitive, social, and emotional development from birth through age eight. In this video, visit the Friends Center for Children in New Haven, CT, and see for yourself how educators are bringing nine key principles of ideal learning environments to life. Watch, comment, and share! Allyx Schiavone Aundrea Tabbs Smith Miriam Sutton Lisa Roy Shantel Meek Bustamante Landon Osborn, LMSW Sonia Dominguez Ellicia Lanier Ellen Roche Toscha Blalock Tobi Adejumo Chrisanne Gayl Jihane Mrad #IdealLearningForAll #EarlyChildhoodEducation #Childcare #TrustForLearning #InvestInChildren #SocialImpact #ILHSN #Montessori #PublicMOntessori #ReggioEmilia #Waldorf #ToolsoftheMind #HighScope #BankStreet

This is one of the clearest and most helpful analyses I’ve read of the latest USED Executive Order, from EducationCounsel

?? The U.S. Department of Education protects the civil rights of 8,000,000 kids with disabilities—including nearly 500,000 infants and toddlers. The Department makes sure states comply with laws that support America's youngest learners with delays and disabilities. Dismantling it without a long-term plan for reform would have a drastic impact on students with disabilities. According to this post by The Century Foundation: https://lnkd.in/erH25BHC "While the Trump administration cannot scrap IDEA or its funding without Congressional approval, it could attempt to move the administration of IDEA over to another government agency. This kind of change would have a drastic and immediate impact on students with disabilities. There is no other federal agency with the expertise needed to oversee special education and ensure the rights of students to a free and appropriate public education. Disabled students, half of whom have learning or speech and language disabilities, rely every day on protections in federal law to get services that keep them safe and able to advance educationally." And this post from New America specifically addresses how federal cuts threaten babies and preschoolers with disabilities: https://lnkd.in/g43c8MMk #disability #IDEA #federalfunding #earlyeducation

If you are an Early Childhood Professional, I cannot recommend following Trust for Learning enough. I was first introduced to the Ideal Learning Principles back in 2022 and they have been integral in my approach to working with the teachers I support. They formally state everything I’ve always believed about the importance of this field in a succinct and real way. We can have different opinions on what curriculum is best or what specific approaches to take, but I believe these principles help offer a unified language to the real purpose of what we do. After all, everyone who is in this field can (hopefully) agree that “the time of childhood is valued” and “play is an essential element of young children’s learning”. (And there’s 7 more principles that are just as dynamic!) So give them a follow here and on Facebook. And if you ever want to talk about how these have been rolled out in my program, just ask! I am always eager to share the work that my team and I do!

In states across the country, Governors and Legislators are proposing universal voucher programs that use public programs to fund private education. You can calculate the cost of vouchers for your state using this tool from Education Law Center: https://lnkd.in/dzWm6RKJ Note: the example from Texas provided in the attached photo is based on a $4,500 voucher. Average universal voucher amounts range from about $4,500 to $8,000. #vouchers #publiceducation #privateeducation

Trust for Learning is now on Facebook, expanding our reach to more families and early care and education providers. This new platform will help us share insights, resources, and stories about #IdealLearning approaches with a broader audience. We believe every child deserves access to nurturing, developmentally appropriate early learning experiences, and we hope this step will help spread the word even further. Follow us on Facebook and share with your networks! ???? #EarlyChildhoodEducation #TrustForLearning

A timely conversation about federal immigration policy, federal funding for schools and the U.S. Department of Education from Montessori Public Policy Initiative. Details below. #immigration #educationpolicy #schoolfunding #federalfunding

A helpful guide from New America to understand the federal #earlychildhood funding landscape and its relationship with delivery of programs on the ground in American communities. https://lnkd.in/eZtBgC6J

Each state’s early childhood system is uniquely organized. To better understand early childhood governance choices across the US, the Prenatal-to-3 Policy Impact Center at Vanderbilt University conducted a comprehensive landscape scan of all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Take a look at state-specific data on the organization of early childhood programs: https://lnkd.in/er7yxZWp State leaders can use their state governance chart to visualize both the depth of bureaucracy for early childhood programs and the breadth of programming available for young children and their families. #earlychildhood #earlycare #childcare #IdealLearning

The #BMHW25 Social Media Toolkit is here! This year’s toolkit provides messaging guidance around our theme, "Healing Legacies: Strengthening Black Maternal Health through Collective Action and Advocacy," along with key facts, talking points, sample posts, graphics, and more to help you engage! Download the toolkit now at https://lnkd.in/guzmrzZH #BlackMamasMatter #BirthEquity #BlackMaternalHealthWeek #ReproductiveJustice #BirthJustice #BlackHistoryMonth #BlackMaternalHealth