The Latest
We’re Working to Ensure the Benefits of Preschool Last
In 2015, a landmark study by Vanderbilt University found that the benefits of Tennessee's pre-K program didn't last. It's not the first time researchers have questioned the long-term impact of high-quality preschool. "Many early childhood stakeholders have been...
Who’s in Charge of Student Success? In Yoncalla, It’s Everyone
It’s a gorgeous summer evening in Yoncalla, Oregon and community members are gathered on the high school football field to kick-off the start of the school year with a celebratory barbecue. A band is playing, children are running at full speed in no particular...
Tell Senator Merkley to Increase Funding for Child Care!
The Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) provides federal funding for states for child care subsidies for low-income families with children under 13. Before their August recess, the House voted to increase funding for CCDBG by $2.4 billion. The Senate has...
Parents and Educators Must Both Support Children’s Emotional Learning
This week, children across Oregon and the country are returning to school: meeting new teachers, learning new routines, and navigating new friendships and group dynamics. This can be overwhelming, especially for our youngest students who are still learning how to...
Multnomah County Commissioner Discusses Preschool For All
Oregon is the fourth least affordable state when it comes to preschool. State and federal funding provide preschool for only those families in deepest poverty, reaching only 15 percent of 3- and 4-year-olds in Multnomah County. Last fall, Multnomah County...
The Impact of Racism on Children’s Health and Education Outcomes
The American Academy of Pediatrics released a new policy statement this month, "The Impact of Racism on Child and Adolescent Health." The statement explores the impact of structural, personally mediated, and internalized racism on children's development and health...
A Broader Definition of Public Charge Will Harm Millions of Families
Dana Hepper is Children's Institute's director of policy and advocacy. Below is her public comment on behalf of CI in response to the Trump Administration's changes to the public charge determination. Last year, the Trump Administration proposed changes to a...
Community Efforts Deliver New Health Clinic to North Douglas County
The Early Link Podcast is moving to the radio! We're excited to join the Podcast Co-Op hosted by the Portland Radio Project (PRP). We'll be airing new episodes on the second and fourth Sundays of the month at 4:30pm. In our first episode for PRP, we traveled to...
Maternal Mortality Rates in the U.S. Are Shockingly High, Especially for Black Women
According to "Out of Sight, Out of Mind? What Is the True US Maternal Mortality Rate? No One Knows," a report issued this month from the Rockefeller Institute of Government, maternal mortality rates are higher in the United States than in any other developed...
The Path to the Student Success Act
This year, Oregon passed the Student Success Act: a new annual $1 billion public investment in education. Twenty percent of this budget—nearly $200 million per year—will go toward early childhood programs and services. This new funding is in addition to existing...