University of Wisconsin–Madison
Progressive Local Government
For the 21st Century

ProGov21 Policy Library

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Raising Pay in Public K-12 Schools is Critical to Solving Staffing Shortages
Type Policy Brief or Report
Year 2022
Level Other
State(s) All States
Source Economic Policy Institute
Policy Areas Children & Families, Education, Finance & Procurement
Public school staffing shortages have been a persistent problem across the United States, and the recent pandemic has only intensified the issue. Low pay for K-12 teachers and support staff is a long standing factor in public school staffing shortages. This report suggests ways in...
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Why Do Parents Pay So Much for Child Care When Early Educators Earn So Little?
Type Fact Sheet or Infographic
Year 2018
Level City or Town, County, State
State(s) All States
Source Center for the Study of Child Care Employment
Policy Areas Children & Families, Economic Justice, Education
Although the average cost of child care rivals college tuition, early educators are among the lowest-paid workers in the country. This infographic outlines the consequences of insufficient wages on early educators' livelihoods....
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Pre-K Is Good For Kids and For Texas: Short-Term Savings from Pre-K Estimated at Nearly $142 Million Annually
Type Policy Brief or Report
Year 2015
Level State
State(s) Texas
Source Child & Family Research Partnership
Policy Areas Children & Families, Education
Besides its educational and developmental benefits for children, pre-K also results in short-term and long-term savings for schools. Thanks to pre-K, Texas spent $127 million less on special education programs and nearly $15 million less because fewer kids were retained in the 2013-2014...
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Early Care and Education Programs During COVID-19: Persistent Inequities and Emerging Challenges
Type Policy Brief or Report
Year 2022
Level State
State(s) California
Source Center for the Study of Child Care Employment
Policy Areas Children & Families, Economic Justice, Education, Finance & Procurement
This report analyzes the impact of COVID-19 on the early care and education system using data from the 2020 California Early Care and Education (ECE) Workforce Study. Findings show that the pandemic worsened existing disparities within the ECE workforce based on program type and funding....
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Head Start and Preschool Partnerships: Lessons Learned from Preschool Development Grantees
Type Policy Brief or Report
Year 2019
Level City or Town, Other Boards and Agencies, School District, State
State(s) All States, Maine, Massachusetts, Nevada, Vermont
Source PDG TA Center
Policy Areas Children & Families, Education
Partnerships between Head Start and state preschool programs can improve quality, expand access, and provide more options for families by leveraging the resources and expertise of both programs. This brief presents lessons from four Preschool Development Grant (PDG) states - Maine,...
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Early Childhood Education is a Top Priority for Voters
Type Fact Sheet or Infographic
Year 2014
Level City or Town
State(s) All States
Source First Five Years Fund
Policy Areas Education, Economic Justice, Civil Rights
The bipartisan research team of Public Opinion Strategies and Hart Research recently completed a survey of 800 voters throughout the United States. It revealed overwhelming support for ensuring that children gain the knowledge and skills necessary to start kindergarten off on the...
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Opportunity-Rich Schools and Sustainable Communities: Seven Steps to Align High-Quality Education with Innovations in City and Metropolitan Planning and Development
Type Policy Brief or Report
Year 2011
Level School District, City or Town, School Board
State(s) All States
Source UC Berkeley Center For Cities & Schools
Policy Areas Education, Economic Justice, Civil Rights, Children & Families
This report aims to help community development and regional planning practitioners collaborate on cross-sector educational improvement efforts, increase productivity, and foster social equity. Its seven-step process recommends developing an understanding of the educational landscape,...
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Students Experiencing Homelessness: The Conditions and Outcomes of Homelessness Among California Students
Type Ordinance or Resolution
Year 2021
Level City or Town, County, State, School District, School Board
State(s) California
Source Learning Policy Institute
Policy Areas Education, Children & Families
A contribution to a host of previous efforts to better understand the opportunities and academic outcomes of students experiencing homelessness. The report describes the population of students experiencing homelessness in California in 2018–19 and then, drawing on earlier data from...
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What Does Good Child Care Reform Look Like?
Type Policy Brief or Report
Year 2017
Level City or Town, State
State(s) All States
Source Center for the Study of Child Care Employment
Policy Areas Children & Families, Economic Justice, Education
Achieving high-quality early care and education for all children will require meaningful public policy interventions and investments. Effective childcare reform must tackle the current system's main problems: lack of resources for parents to stay home with very young children, lack...
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Playbook for City Projects and Funding at the Intersection of Early Childhood & Environmental Impacts
Type Policy Brief or Report
Year 2024
Level City or Town
State(s) All States
Source National League of Cities
Policy Areas Children & Families, Community Development, Environment & Natural Resources, Health
Air pollution, unsafe food and soils, substandard housing, and harmful procurement practices significantly impact early childhood development. Local governments are more agile than state and federal governments, and can implement policies related to climate change mitigation, public...
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Building a Stronger Commonwealth: The Business Case for Investing in Pennsylvania's Youngest Learners
Type Policy Brief or Report
Year 2013
Level City or Town
State(s) Pennsylvania
Source ReadyNation
Policy Areas Education, Economic Justice, Civil Rights
The foundation for success starts in the earliest years of children's lives, when they begin to develop the knowledge, skills, and behaviors they need to do well in school and beyond. To fix our failing workforce pipeline, we need to help our children get the good start in life that...
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We Need Major Reform that Prioritizes the Needs of our Child Care Workforce
Type Fact Sheet or Infographic
Year 2021
Level City or Town, County, State
State(s) All States
Source Center for the Study of Child Care Employment
Policy Areas Children & Families, Economic Justice, Education
This infographic argues that subsidized child care is ineffective until the early care and education system is reformed to ensure educators earn fair wages and benefits. Although subsidies have the potential to help low-income families afford child care, tax credits primarily benefit...
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Early Childhood Educators Set Florida’s Kids on the Path Towards Success
Type Policy Brief or Report
Year 2023
Level State
State(s) Florida
Source Council for a Strong America
Policy Areas Children & Families, Economic Justice, Education
Qualified teachers are the foundation of high-quality early care and education (ECE). However, inadequate compensation and subpar working conditions for ECE workers threatens the quality of programs by leading to high levels of turnover. This report urges policymakers to invest in...
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Ohio’s child care crisis: Parents and providers out of options
Type Policy Brief or Report
Year 2024
Level City or Town, County, State
State(s) Ohio
Source Policy Matters Ohio
Policy Areas Children & Families, Education
Child care is a necessity for millions of families but educators are underpaid and care options are unaffordable. This report examines Ohio's child care crisis and provides recommendations for supporting providers and improving accessibility and affordability. It recommends expanding...
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From Unlivable Wages to Just Pay for Early Educators
Type Policy Brief or Report
Year 2019
Level City or Town
State(s) All States
Source Center for the Study of Child Care Employment
Policy Areas Children & Families, Economic Justice, Education
Teaching in early care and education (ECE) programs is one of the lowest-paid occupations in the United States. This report summarizes recent research on wage standards and assesses existing initiatives intended to address the problem of low wages in ECE. It concludes that educators...
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Early Childhood Success: Making Way for Early Childhood in Municipal Government
Type Policy Brief or Report
Year 2018
Level City or Town
State(s) All States
Source Mayors Innovation Project
Policy Areas Children & Families, Education
This presentation highlights the need for strong early learning communities to support young children and their families. Collaboration across multiple agencies can support school readiness and long-term economic prosperity. Community leaders should enhance home visiting programs,...
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State(s) of Head Start
Type Policy Brief or Report
Year 2016
Level State
State(s) All States
Source National Institute for Early Education Research
Policy Areas Children & Families, Education
Head Start is a comprehensive child development program that provides education and support services to children and their families. Despite the fact that Head Start is a federally funded, national program, this report reveals that access to Head Start programs, funding per child,...
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High Quality Early Childhood Programs are Key for a Strong New Mexico
Type Policy Brief or Report
Year 2023
Level State
State(s) New Mexico
Source Council for a Strong America
Policy Areas Children & Families, Economic Justice, Education
This report discusses how investments in New Mexico's early care and education (ECE) programs can increase productivity, strengthen the economy, improve public safety, and enhance national security. It also outlines multiple case studies in which high-quality home visiting, child...
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Investing in Early Childhood Development: Reduce Deficits, Strengthen the Economy
Type Policy Brief or Report
Year 2012
Level School District, City or Town
State(s) All States
Source The Heckman Equation
Policy Areas Education, Economic Justice, Civil Rights, Finance & Procurement
Early childhood education programs--especially those aimed at under-resourced communities--are some of the most effective investments a community can make to reduce disparities and strengthen the economy. This report shows that early childhood development directly influences economic,...
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Mayor's Advisory Council on Early Childhood Development and Early Education
Type Policy Brief or Report
Year 2011
Level School District, City or Town, County
State(s) Tennessee
Source Nashville Mayor Karl Dean
Policy Areas Education, Economic Justice, Children & Families
This report outlines Nashville-Davidson County's early childhood policies and identifies the shortcomings of current programming. It recommends that the city support early literacy programs, improve accountability in the school system, invest in management technology and training,...
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Expanding Early Childhood Education: How States and Districts Can Use Federal Recovery Funds Strategically
Type Fact Sheet or Infographic
Year 2021
Level Other Boards and Agencies, School District, State
State(s) All States
Source Learning Policy Institute
Policy Areas Children & Families, Education
States and School Districts should take advantage of federal recovery funds, particularly focusing their use of resources towards the expansion and improvement of early childhood education (ECE). This factsheet highlights how these funds can be used for various ECE initiatives, including...
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2012 San Antonio Ordinance 0603 Establishing a Sales and Use Tax Election
Type Ordinance or Resolution
Year 2012
Level City or Town
State(s) Texas
Source City of San Antonio
Policy Areas Democracy & Governance
This ordinance establishes an election to authorize the city to levy a minor sales and use tax that would generate funding for early child development and education services in the city. It also provides election logistics including dates, locations, and permitted voting methods....
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“The Forgotten Ones”—The Economic Well-Being of Early Educators During COVID-19
Type Policy Brief or Report
Year 2022
Level State
State(s) California
Source Center for the Study of Child Care Employment
Policy Areas Children & Families, Economic Justice, Education
This report provides a closer look at the well-being of California's early educators during the COVID-19 public health crisis, using data collected from the 2020 California Early Care and Education Workforce Study. Key findings show that educators' low wages leave them vulnerable...
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Supporting Early Childhood Mental Health Sets Georgia’s Kids on the Path to Success
Type Policy Brief or Report
Year 2021
Level City or Town, State
State(s) Georgia
Source Council for a Strong America
Policy Areas Children & Families, Health
This report discusses the social, economic, and developmental implications of Early Childhood Mental Health (ECMH) challenges, and outlines strategies for Georgia lawmakers to support children struggling with mental or emotional health-related issues. The report recommends lawmakers...
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From Cradle to Preschool: Winter 2020 Policy Meeting
Type Policy Brief or Report
Year 2020
Level City or Town, National
State(s) All States, California, Colorado, District of Columbia, Massachusetts, New York, Texas
Source National League of Cities
Policy Areas Children & Families, Education
Insufficient access to high-quality, affordable early childhood education and care is a critical issue. Local policymakers must collaborate to support child development and the lifelong success of their youngest constituents. To overcome racial and economic disparities, school districts...
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