Early Childhood Education

Katy Brooks, CEO, Bend Chamber of Commerce

December 10, 2019

Like much of the nation, Oregon is in a childcare crisis. There are openings for only one in three children under the age of five in registered childcare centers and in-home providers. This is not only a crisis for families seeking affordable and high-quality childcare, it impacts employers who are struggling to attract and retain talent in a record low unemployment environment.

Community Improvement

Building Bridges: Creating Strong Partnerships for Early Childhood Education

December 4, 2019

This report brings together data, research, and lessons learned to guide the development of successful and lasting partnerships between the business and early childhood education communities. In surveys, focus groups, and interviews, we asked business leaders and early education advocates about what compels them to action. Our recommendations are grounded in that qualitative and quantitative research.

Data

Women

Webinar: Messages That Work to Build Stronger Partnerships

On this webinar we will launch our early childhood education Messaging Guide, share the new data we have gathered, and discuss the insights and tips we've gleaned from it.

How They Built This: Early Ed Edition Webinar

Build Up SMC has partners countywide that are dedicated to solving childcare facility challenges. The Bend Chamber has hired a full time staff to focus on childcare needs in central Oregon. They're here to answer your questions on how they did it and where they're going.

Workforce Challenges? NAEP Scores Show U.S. Must Start Solving Them with a Focus on Early Reading

November 7, 2019

Workforce Challenges Solved with Early Reading as a Priority

The 2019 Nation’s Report Card, released last week, showed alarming drops in reading and disappointingly middling results in math. This has huge implications for our nation’s future workforce and heartbreaking consequences for families across the country who are trusting our public education system for the most basic of learning goals.

Cheryl Oldham

Competitiveness

Twitter Chat: Early Education Messaging

Join us at #LetsChatECE to discuss the most effective language for building successful partnerships that last, some terminology tips, data to support the most common and compelling cases for why businesses should engage in early childhood education conversations, and some case studies that provide real-world examples of partnerships gone right.

Let's Break it Down: Finding a Childcare Provider

October 11, 2019

Finding a Childcare Provider, Child Care Aware of America

Finding the right childcare provider for your family is a personal choice, and not one that can be outsourced very easily. Child Care Aware® of America Executive Director Lynette Fraga, PhD, spoke with Scott MacFarlane of NBC Washington about some specific questions parents can ask, ways to assess your unique family needs, and how to understand and develop an ongoing relationship with your childcare provider.

Women

Market Failure: Our Childcare System is Broken

September 24, 2019

In this country, the early childhood education system is in market failure. In recent years we have seen the greatest federal funding increases for early childhood education in history, and yet those significant investments just barely make a dent to tackle the need. In 2018, NASEM studied “how to fund early care and education for children…that is accessible, affordable to families, and of high quality, including a well-qualified and adequately supported workforce.” The report concluded that a financial windfall of around $54 billion would be required.

The Mounting Costs of Childcare in Washington State

September 19, 2019

Mounting Costs of Childcare in Washington State

To better understand the impact of childcare issues for working parents and the Washington state economy, the Washington State Child Care Collaborative Task Force and partners commissioned a 2019 survey of Washington parents by Elway Research and an economic impact analysis by Eastern Washington University’s Institute for Public Policy and Economic Analysis.

Economic Growth

Report Shows Economic Impact of a Lack of Affordable Childcare in Washington State

Jason Hagey, vice president of communications, AWB

September 19, 2019

The lack of access to affordable, high-quality childcare isn’t just a problem for families. A new report found that it’s costing Washington businesses more than $2 billion per year in employee turnover or missed work, and the total cost to the state economy tops more than $6.5 billion per year.