December is turning out to be a busy month for early education developments and the expected announcement of the early learning Race to the Top winners will probably be the biggest. Even before we know any winners, though, advocates are analyzing the impact of the future money.
Over at the First Five Years Fund Cornelia Grumman writes a great analysis of what these future grants already mean.
We agree that it would have been better had the application period had been longer to allow state legislatures more of a chance to act in support of applications. But even with a compressed timeline, the Challenge already has prompted states to articulate plans for dramatic change, and chart ambitious courses that could lead to legislative change in the years ahead. Many states initiated major regulatory changes as part of the application process. Some have stated intentions to continue working on certain parts of their plans regardless of whether they’re selected later this month to receive federal resources to do so. -- “Early Learning Challenges.” 12/8/11
I think Grumman was responding, in part, to a few thoughtful takes on the Race to the Top by Bellweather Education Partners’ Sara Mead, including “QRIS Costs and Constraints” and “Early-Childhood Policy: Fix the Federal Programs First”.
The critics have their points, but the bottom line is that the Early Learning Challenge is a major step forward at a critical time for the field...And there’s something to be said for the fact that, despite crazy timelines and enormously complex work, there’s strong and bipartisan demand for this kind of support in states…
I think Mead is one of the nation’s leading writers on early education, but Grumman is closer to the real impact of RTTT. But, read both views because there is plenty of food for thought. Then think about adding your own. It would be great if we could broaden this debate beyond leading voices in early education by getting more people talking about what this race is and why it matters.
Further Reading:
• “What States Would Do If They Won the Early Learning Challenge,” Early Ed Watch. 12/8/11. (http://earlyed.newamerica.net/blogposts/2011/what_states_would_do_if_they_won_the_early_learning_challenge-61301)