All children deserve the best start in life and school possible ... and we all benefit when they get it. They're healthier, more successful in school and more engaged and productive in society and life.

Washington's new statewide early learning plan, which was released on Sept. 1, will help give more children that great start in life and school.

The plan is the roadmap for building a comprehensive early learning system in Washington over the next decade. It is designed to better coordinate all of the great work already happening for children and families and guide policy, funding and ongoing work by organizations and agencies. And it shows how we all make a difference in the lives of children.

Watch this Learning for Life as we talk with Dr. Bette Hyde, director of the state Department of Early Learning, and Nina Auerbach, president and CEO of Thrive by Five Washington, the state's public-private partnership for early learning, about the new statewide early learning plan, what big changes are in store to help young children and families in Washington state and what role parents and families play in the plan.

Learning for Life airs every Wednesday on KING 5 Morning News on KONG 6/16 TV between 8:15 and 8:30 a.m.

Over the last month, Birth to Thrive discussed issues special needs families face in early learning, ranging from a lack of a voice in key debates to autism’s role in shaping early learning support for families with disabilities. The debate is far from over, and we thought we would offer some policy resources to keep the dialogue going:

National Groups

• The Council for Exceptional Children: A group working to improve education for special needs and gifted students.
• The National Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center: “NECTAC is the national early childhood technical assistance center supported by the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) under the provisions of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).”

Washington State Links

• Early Support for Infants and Toddlers, Washington State Department of Early Learning.
• Experimental Education Unit, University of Washington: The center is arguably the city’s top resource for children with disabilities, offering inclusive classrooms from birth through kindergarten, services and support.
• The Kindering Center: One of the region’s leading providers of services and support for children with disabilities.

Federal Resources

• Learn the Signs. Act Early. Developmental Milestones and Fact Sheets, Centers for Disease Control.
• Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, U.S. Department of Education.

A new study found infants living in poverty often have mothers with depression, The Washington Post reported.

Researchers found 11 percent of babies who lived in poverty had a mom dealing with severe depression, according to the study done by the Urban Institute.

In what was described as the first detailed portrait of its kind, researchers reported that one in nine infants in poverty had a mother with severe depression and that such mothers typically breastfed their children for shorter periods than other mothers who were poor.

                …

The study said that even severe depression goes largely untreated among low-income mothers of infants, with just 30 percent speaking to a professional about a mental health problem during the year before the survey was conducted. – “Study links poverty to depression among mothers.” Washington Post, 8/26/10.

Another interesting story on depression in children, “Can Preschoolers be Depressed” ran in The New York Times magazine over the weekend.

In Other News: “No link between vaccines and autism, appeals court rules,” Associated Press, 8/27/10.

Washington State News

• Social inequality in prisons  – 8/22/10, The Seattle Times (WA)
  

National News

• Quality early learning matters – 8/22/10, The Kansas City Star (KS)
• Everybody benefits, but poor kids benefit the most – 8/23/10, The Washington Post (NAT)
• Nine states and DC finally win Race to the Top Funding – 8/24/10, Blog: Fire Dog Lake
• Defeat poverty by investing in our children – 8/25/10, Blog: Education & Public Safety

Research/Public Policy

• 'Cutting funding for early childhood education in order to meet the current budget shortfall is probably not a great idea' – 8/24/10, The Washington Post (NAT), Blog: Economic and Domestic Policy, and Lots of It

Economists, researchers and advocates talk a lot about the economic return of good quality early learning, but few are as compelling and clear as University of Chicago professor James Heckman.

The Nobel-Prize winning economist explains the importance of putting returns of early learning efforts, such as teaching self-discipline and other soft skills, in the correct context, in a question-and-answer on the Washington Post’s “Economics and Domestic Policy, and lots of it” blog.

So what you’re learning is self-discipline, to stay on task, you’re learning social relationships, because you’re doing this assessment collectively, and you’re building a set of life skills that turn out to be important. So we looked at what the consequences were of these changes early in life for the child. And we see that those patterns are there.
It leads to less aggression, more socialization, what sometimes psychologists call externalizing behavior, and it promotes a lot of productivity down the line. So you’re changing the character of these children. – “It’s just a question of using the same dollars wisely.” 8/25/10.

During the talk, the economist also calls on President Barack Obama – Heckman advised the Obama campaign on early learning issues, according to the blog – to take a stronger lead role in improving early learning.

It is a great and in-depth read for a Q&A and worth checking out.

You can follow Heckman at the Heckman Equation on Twitter (@heckmanequation) and on Facebook.

About one out of every 110 children is diagnosedwith autism.

Sixty years after being identified as a disorder, scientists still don't knowwhat causes autism. And, just like snowflakes, no two individuals with autismare alike. On one end of the spectrum is Asperger's Disorder, a highfunctioning sub group of Autistic Spectrum Disorder, and on the other end ofthe spectrum are profoundly disabled individuals.

Watch this Learning for Life as we talk with Dr. Felice Orlich, with Seattle Children's Autism Center, about what autism is, how it's diagnosed and the signs parents should look for. We also explore the issue of whether there are enough resources available to support the increasing numbers of children being diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder and their families.

Learning for Life airs every Wednesday on KING 5 Morning News on KONG 6/16 TV between 8:15 and 8:30 a.m.

Learn more and watch past Learning for Life series and specials here.

School is around the corner and here are a few facts and findings before child care, preschool and kindergarten open for many parents.

Babies apparently get stressed out and remember when mom or dad leaves them, a study out of Canada found.

It isn’t just emotional for parents. A new study shows that when babies as young as six months old are stressed, they have a biological response and can remember it for at least 24 hours.— “Babies feel and remember stress when parents don’t respond.” Parentcentral.ca. 8/25/10.

In this country, the U.S. Census Bureau found more than half of three- and-four-year olds, 53 percent, were in school in 2008.

And nearly three-quarters, 72 percent, of children age 3 to 6 who were in kindergarten attended school all day in 2008, according to the same report, “Back to School: 2010-2011.”

In the not shocking category, children are less likely to be in child care during the summer, the Census said in a separate report “Who’s Minding the Kids? Child Care Arrangements: Spring 2005/Summer 2006,” with 55 percent of preschoolers not in regular child care.

Back in Washington D.C., the U.S. Education Department announced the second wave of Race to the Top winners (Washington State did not make the cut). Check out Early Ed Watch’s take on “How Will ‘Race to the Top’ Winners Address Early Ed?”

(This is the fourth story in a series on special needs in early education.)

Could autism overwhelm federal programs that support children with disabilities?

Autism appears to be nearly everywhere these days - 1 in 110 children are now diagnosed with the disorder, according to the Centers for Disease Control. It is on “Oprah,” national magazine covers and the minds of parents.

Now there are signs not every child that could have autism is getting diagnosed. Researchers found lower rates of diagnosis among African American and Hispanic families and suggestions that parents’ education may play a role in getting a diagnosis, according to a commentary.

What would happen if every family had access to high-quality autism screening and intensive services, which can total more than 20 hours a week? Would the system fall apart? These are among the questions raised by the commentary “Is Autism the Disability that Breaks Part C?”

We worry, however, that as professionals continue to make recommendations for intensive early intervention for children with ASD (autism spectrum disorders), the programs are going to crumble under the additional burden. – “Is Autism the Disability That Breaks Part C?” Journal of Early Intervention, 3/10.

The fact is the recent spike in autism diagnoses is already straining the system. Parents of autistic children run into waitlists, a shortage of therapists and health insurance that often fails to cover tens of thousands of dollars in therapy a year. This occurs even in cities such as Seattle, which are home to cutting edge research and support.

The commentary wonders whether this increase could strain or break federal support for disabled infants and toddlers, known as Part C.

One of the most important issues it raises is a divide between haves and have nots within the autism community.

We worry, however, that establishing an early and accurate diagnosis may be related more to where a family lives, whether the parents went to college, and what medical insurance they have than to the young children's behavioral profiles. To the extent that our perceptions are valid, something in "the system" is not working. – “Is Autism the Disability That Breaks Part C?”

Schwartz also suggests there is a gap between families who get a diagnosis of autism for their child and those whose children have another type of developmental delay.

“There is also a divide between families who have ASD (autism spectrum disorder) and those who do not,” Schwartz wrote in an email. “…But we need to provide services for all children that are high quality.  Unfortunately… the way schools are funded that is becoming increasingly difficult.”

The co-authors write in their commentary they are far from opposed to intense early intervention for children on the autism spectrum. In fact, they point out they developed one of the models. Instead, they write the system needs to be changed to ensure all families raising a child with a disability get support.

Co-author Ilene Schwartz, who adds in the story she is hopeful the system will not collapse, has ideas to ensure the system doesn’t break.

One of her most interesting proposals is that high quality child care could help manage the burden.

“If all children had access to high quality child care, then we may be able to provide fewer hours of specialized instruction.  High quality child care where children are engaged and have high quality and consistent interactions with caring adults, supported by some specialized intervention and some training for parents and other caregivers may be sufficient and it would certainly be more sustainable and more child friendly,”    Schwartz, director of the University of Washington’s Haring Center for Applied Research and Training in Education, wrote in an email.

Schwartz raises more questions than answers – not surprising given we don’t know what causes autism or how to cure it.

It sounds like we need to start answering some of these questions before the system breaks down even more.

Article: “Is Autism the Disability That Breaks Part C? A Commentary on "Infants and Toddlers With Autism Spectrum Disorder: Early Identification and Early Intervention, “by Boyd, Odom; Humphreys, and Sam.” By Ilene S. Schwartz and Susan R. Sandall, University of Washington, Seattle. Journal on Early Intervention, 3/10.

It is worth noting when the nation’s top central banker talks about things besides interest rates and inflation, and earlier this month Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke took time to urge state policymakers to continue investing in early childhood education. 

The busy Fed chief reminded his audience that while a strong K-12 system is an important factor in building a good workforce, quality early learning classrooms also play an important role.

Research increasingly has shown the importance for both individuals and the economy as a whole of both early childhood education as well as efforts to promote the lifelong acquisition of skills. The payoffs of early childhood programs can be especially high. For instance, investment in preschool programs for disadvantaged children has been shown to increase high school graduation rates. Because high school graduates have higher earnings, pay more taxes, and are less likely to need to use public health programs, such investments can pay off even from the narrow perspective of state budgets; of course, the returns to the overall economy and to the individuals themselves are much greater. – Speech to the Annual Meeting of the Southern Legislative Conference of the Council of State Governments. 8/2/10. (Early learning comments are near the end. See text for footnotes.)

As a journalist who dissected Federal Reserve speeches for key policy changes years ago, I can tell you Fed chairmen don’t waste too many words. And it is great to see Bernanke’s endorsement of quality early learning when he has so many other issues to comment on, including the sluggish recovery from the Great Recession.

Washington State News

• Ready by Five receives $379,000 federal grant – 8/19/10, Yakima Herald- Republic

National/International

• Officials encourage early education as way to fight crime – 8/18/10, WNYT-TV (NY)
• How to close the achievement gap – 8/16/10, Newsweek (NAT)
• Don't drop out of school innovation – 8/19/10, The New York Times (NAT)
• How Obama got it right on school reform – 8/20/10, The Washington Post (NAT)
  

Research/Policy

• Early learning paves future – 8/19/10, The Times Union (GA)