Overall Quality Among Licensed and License-Exempt Early Childhood Centers

This brief will discuss several important aspects of early childhood centers. The findings presented are those that show statistically significant differences between licensed and license-exempt centers. Each program was observed for two- to three-hours using the Caregiver Interaction Scale (CIS) and either the Early Childhood Environmental Rating Scale or the Infant-Toddler Environmental Rating Scale depending on the age of the children.Funded by: HHS Child Care Bureau and the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundatio

Parents as Teachers (PAT) for Families with Low Incomes: A Collaborative Approach for Children Birth to Three

Includes bibliographical references.The Early Childhood Development Act of 1984 mandated that every school district in Missouri provide Parents as Teachers services to families with children birth to age 5. In 2003-04, a total of 45% of families in Missouri who had children birth to age 5 received PAT services; 46% of Missouri families with children birth to age 3 received services. PAT is a program for all families with young children, but districts are able to provide more home visits to families with high needs. The Columbia Public Schools dramatically improved the rate of participation in the Parents as Teachers program in low-income families

Missouri Early Childhood Programs: Subsidy and Workforce Issues

Includes bibliographical references.Economic data indicate investments in early childhood education provide substantial, long term dividends among adults who attended high quality programs during their preschool years. Research suggests a significant contributor to these positive outcomes is the workforce: a highly qualified workforce in the field of early childhood education has a positive lasting impact on children

Children's Early Learning: What the state of Missouri can do

Includes bibliographical references.Findings from the Midwest Child Care Research Consortium indicate early childhood education settings are of low quality in three areas that are key to early learning: Learning Activities, Language and Reasoning and Social InteractionsHHS Child Care Bureau and the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundatio

The Effects of HB1519 Funding on Early Childhood Programs

Includes bibliographical reference.In 1998, the Missouri Legislature created the Early Childhood Care and Education Fund (HB1519). The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and the Department of Social Services funded a three-year study that evaluated the development and care of children participating in programs across the state that were supported by HB1519 funds compared to children participating in programs that did not receive funding. Program quality was evaluated using the Infant-Toddler Environmental Rating Scale, the Family Daycare Environmental Rating Scale and the Early Childhood Environmental Rating Scale-Revised. Furthermore, the intellectual abilities of children who attended high quality programs were compared to the abilities of children who attended programs of lower quality using the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test and the Woodcock-Johnson Test of Cognitive Abilities.Funded by the Missouri Department of Social Services and the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

Status of Infant and Toddler Programs in Missouri

Includes bibliographical references.Early childhood is a critical period for cognitive, linguistic, and social-emotional development. Research finds that children who attend high quality infant and toddler programs are better prepared to succeed in school and in the workforce than those who did not attend. Thus, the quality of infant and toddler programs has great implications for children's development. One of the tasks of a survey was to examine infant and toddler workforce issues and program quality.Funded by HHS Child Care Bureau and the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation

Early Childhood Education in Missouri: How Well Are We Doing in Providing Licensed Early Childhood Programs and Subsidy to Those Who Need It

Includes maps.Research has shown that high quality early childhood education programs have positive short- and long-term effects on young children, especially those who are disadvantaged. In addition to having direct effects on children's cognitive, social, and emotional development, high quality early education programs have many beneficial secondary advantages for society, including effects on parents, employers, and governments.Missouri Youth Initiativ