Jackie Mader

2 weeks ago | hechingerreport.org | Jackie Mader

In the rural Methow Valley in northeast Washington state, parents have few options for child care. There are only two licensed programs in the community — one of which is a Head Start center. About 40 miles northeast in the town of Okanogan, 30 percent of the town’s limited child care spots are provided by the local Head Start center. Nationwide, Head Start has long played an outsized role in the rural child care landscape, existing in 86 percent of rural counties.

2 weeks ago | miamiherald.com | Jackie Mader

In the rural Methow Valley in northeast Washington state, parents have few options for child care. There are only two licensed programs in the community - one of which is a Head Start center. About 40 miles northeast in the town of Okanogan, 30 percent of the town's limited child care spots are provided by the local Head Start center. Nationwide, Head Start has long played an outsized role in the rural child care landscape, existing in 86 percent of rural counties.

4 weeks ago | hechingerreport.org | Jackie Mader

When this year’s legislative session launched in Idaho, early childhood experts and advocates were hopeful that the state, which has a shortage of child care, would invest more in early learning programs. Instead, lawmakers proposed what may be the most extreme effort yet to deregulate child care in America: The bill called for eliminating state required staff-to-child ratios altogether, instead allowing child care providers to set their own.

4 weeks ago | miamiherald.com | Jackie Mader

When this year's legislative session launched in Idaho, early childhood experts and advocates were hopeful that the state, which has a shortage of child care, would invest more in early learning programs. Instead, lawmakers proposed what may be the most extreme effort yet to deregulate child care in America: The bill called for eliminating state required staff-to-child ratios altogether, instead allowing child care providers to set their own.

1 month ago | youthtoday.org | Jackie Mader

For child care programs, the strength and frequency of these myriad interactions between a caregiver and a child are central to quality. Babies need stimulation from a caregiver who talks frequently and responds to their sounds and cues. Older children, experts say, need thoughtful questioning and responses that help develop critical thinking skills and vocabulary.