NIEER Hot Topics 7/2

New NRC Report: National Initiative Needed to Address Math Education in Pre-K

Opportunities for children in pre-K to learn mathematics are currently inadequate, a situation that needs to be addressed through a national math initiative, says a report released today by the National Research Council (NRC). Intended to inform the efforts of Head Start, state pre-K, curriculum developers and teachers, the report says the amount of time devoted to math needs to be increased in all public and private pre-K settings. Among its recommendations are that instruction concentrate on two areas — the concept of "number," including activities such as counting and determining relative quantities, and geometry, including activities that promote spatial thinking and measurement. Many of the issues brought up in the report are addressed in NIEER's new brief, Math and Science in Preschool: Policy and Practice.

Texas Governor's Surprise Veto Leaves Many Disappointed

When Texas Governor Rick Perry vetoed House Bill 130 late last month, it came as a surprise to many in politics and early education. The bill, which included $268 million to raise pre-K standards and provide full-day instruction, was sponsored by fellow Republican Representative Diane Patrick. The bill enjoyed what one advocate termed the broadest bipartisan support of any bill in the last session of the legislature, and its framers had consulted the governor's office. Perry defended the veto, saying any new funding for pre-K might better go toward expanding access to half-day programs for disadvantaged children. He left $25 million in the budget for that purpose.

Illinois Budget Battle Threatens Progress of Preschool for All

Trouble is brewing for Illinois' acclaimed Preschool for All Program. This week, Governor Pat Quinn said he'll veto the latest budget proposed by the state's General Assembly because it cuts human services such as early childhood programs. According to the Ounce of Prevention Fund, the Assembly budget would cut as many as 27,000 children from Preschool for All. Quinn wants to generate $4 billion through an income tax increase — something the legislature is resisting. House Speaker Mike Madigan says he will call lawmakers back in mid-July to override the Governor's veto. Illinois isn't the only state facing big cuts. Ohio Governor Ted Strickland is recommending elimination of the state's Early Learning Initiative launched in 2005 to provide full-day, year-round pre-K to children of working families.

Joan Lombardi Joins Administration for Children and Families

Well-known early childhood expert Joan Lombardi has been appointed Deputy Assistant Secretary and Inter-Departmental Liaison for Early Childhood Development in the Administration for Children and Families. Lombardi, who is the founding chair of the Birth to Five Policy Alliance, also served in the Administration for Children and Families in the 1990s.