Rob Grunewald on the Economic Impact of Early Childhood Investments

by Rafael Otto | Jan 13, 2020 | Podcast, Federal Policy, National Research

In this episode of The Early Link Podcast, we speak with Rob Grunewald, an economist who advocates for investments in early childhood programs and services.

Rob Grunewald is an economist with the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. He conducts research on community development and regional economic issues and co-authored a report called “Early Childhood Development: Economic Development with a High Public Return.”

Background

There are 12 Federal Reserve banks in the US, and the Minneapolis Federal Reserve serves Minnesota, northern WI and MI, Dakotas, and Montana. The mission of the Federal Reserve banks is to provide the nation with stable monetary policy and a safe and flexible financial system. This includes deciding which investments will have the most positive effect on the local economy.

The Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis’ interest in supporting early childhood development programs is important because these programs are rarely portrayed as economic development initiatives. If such programs exist they are usually at the bottom of the economic development lists for state and local governments. However, research has shown that is a mistake. Early childhood development programs should be at the top of the list. Most of the numerous projects and initiatives that state and local governments fund in the name of creating new private businesses and new jobs result in few public benefits. In contrast, studies liked the ones cited in Grunewald’s report find that well-focused investments in early childhood development yield high public as well as private returns.

2019 Year in Review

by Rafael Otto | Dec 23, 2019 | Podcast, News, Preschool

2019 has been an incredible year for early childhood. We recorded 13 episodes of The Early Link podcast this year. For this, our 14th show, we review some of the common themes shared by our many esteemed guests, and share what’s on our minds as we move into 2020. This is our final Early Link podcast of the year, a 2019 year in review and look ahead to 2020.

SEAL Transforms School Systems

by Rafael Otto | Dec 10, 2019 | Podcast, Dual Language Learners

In this episode of the Early Link Podcast, we speak with Dr. Anya Hurwitz, the executive director of SEAL (Sobrato Early Academic Language). Rooted at the intersection of research and educational equity, the program is an English learner-focused approach to education. The model includes curriculum, professional development, and technical assistance so that schools and teachers can better meet the needs of English language learners.

Dr. Hurwitz has been a teacher, school leader, and district administrator. She has a doctorate in educational leadership from University of California Berkeley and has been on the SEAL team since 2014.

Learn More About SEAL

SEAL is a powerful English Learner-focused approach to education rooted at the intersection of research and educational equity. The bedrock values are a commitment to further developing the intellectual and linguistic genius of young children’s brains, honoring the value and role of a family’s culture and language in students’ lives, and helping teachers cultivate the skills and mindset they need to become powerfully effective educators.

A 5-year evaluation of SEAL found that despite starting school with language and academic skills behind their peers, SEAL students catch up or surpass peers on all measures, from language and literacy to math and science. Major findings show statistically significant gains in language, literacy and cognition, as well as a significant impact on family literacy.

SEAL partners with educational leaders across California. The program is already in over 100 elementary schools across 21 districts, and in over 130 preschool classrooms within 24 preschool local education agencies state-wide, working to transform the system by providing professional development, curriculum support, and technical assistance for educators. SEAL is helping English Learners turn their home language into an asset.

SEAL provides a clear pathway for California to meet the vision set out by the comprehensive English Learner Roadmap policy. With 10 years of practice and research that demonstrates an effective model, SEAL fosters systems change in two ways: by continuing to transform more classrooms, schools, and districts, and by advocating for state-level changes that focus on English Learners’ needs.

Visit SEAL’s website for more information.

Dr. John Kitzhaber on Health Care Transformation

by Rafael Otto | Nov 25, 2019 | Podcast, Health and Development, Health and Kindergarten Readiness

In this episode of the Early Link Podcast, we speak with Dr. John Kitzhaber, a physician and previous governor of Oregon, about ways to improve our health systems and re-frame the national healthcare debate.

Dr. John Kitzhaber is well known in Oregon and across the country for his expertise on health care and health policy. He has practiced as an emergency physician, served for 14 years in the Oregon legislature, and completed three terms as governor of Oregon. Through his service, he authored the Oregon Health Plan and was the chief architect of the state’s Coordinated Care Organizations.

The Oregon Health Plan (OHP) provides health care coverage for low-income Oregonians from all walks of life. This includes working families, children, pregnant women, single adults, seniors, and more.

A Coordinated Care Organization (CCO) is a network of all types of health care providers who are working together in their local communities to serve people who receive health care coverage under the Oregon Health Plan (Medicaid). CCOs integrate physical, mental, and dental care with the goal of better health, better care, and lower costs. CCOs focus on prevention of illness and disease and improving care. This helps reduce unnecessary emergency room visits and gives people support to be healthy.

Additional Resources

Children’s Institute Health and Learning Initiative

Reframing the 2020 Health Care Debate by Dr. John Kitzhaber

CCO Health Innovations Support Early Learning Goals

On Effective Preschool with Dr. Christina Weiland

by Rafael Otto | Sep 16, 2019 | Podcast, Preschool Landscape

In this episode of The Early Link podcast, we speak with Dr. Christina Weiland, assistant professor at the School of Education at the University of Michigan. Dr. Weiland’s research focuses on the effects of early childhood interventions and public policies on children’s development, especially on children from low-income families. She is particularly interested in the active ingredients that drive children’s gains in successful, at-scale public preschool programs. Her work is also characterized by strong, long-standing research collaborations with practitioners, particularly the Boston Public Schools Department of Early Childhood. Dr. Weiland is also an author of book Cradle to Kindergarten: A New Plan to Combat Inequality.

In this conversation, we take a look at what it would mean for the U.S. to invest in a system that serves children under 5, with high-quality care and preschool programs available to parents who choose to access them. Thus far, Dr. Weiland points out, individual cities like Washington D.C. and Boston have been leading the way on effective preschool programming, but political will across the country is growing to ensure access to high-quality early education doesn’t depend on where you live.

We also discuss the features of high-quality preschool programs that are responsive to the way young children learn and aligned with elementary school. Finally, Dr. Weiland shares her views on the early childhood landscape here in Oregon.