Texas leaders, advocates build momentum on pre-K, child care ahead of Legislature
Texas leaders emphasize pre-K, child care ahead of Legislature The Dallas Morning News
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Statewide leaders and advocates gather to discuss child care and early education
Momentum Early Learning Summit
Representatives of more than a dozen Texas cities and a handful of state groups gathered in Fort Worth on Thursday to kick off the Momentum Early Learning Summit, a two-day event to discuss how they can better support children, parents, and the workforce.
Challenges in Child Care
Alfreda Norman, former senior vice president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, highlighted the pressing challenge of finding affordable, high-quality child care in Texas. The annual cost of infant care is comparable to that of a public university, and there are currently over 70,000 families on waitlists for child care scholarships.
Economic Impact
Child care issues in Texas result in an annual loss of approximately $9.4 billion for the state’s economy, according to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation.
Discussion on Early Education
Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath, Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker, and Texas Workforce Commission Chairman Bryan Daniel participated in a panel discussion on the current landscape of early education in Texas. The panel was moderated by Kara Waddell, president and CEO of Child Care Associates.
Expanding Pre-K Options
Lawmakers in 2019 attempted to expand pre-K options for Texas families by encouraging partnerships between school districts or charter networks and child care programs. However, only about 12 out of nearly 1,200 districts and charters were able to establish such partnerships.
Investing in Early Childhood
The summit emphasized the importance of investing in early childhood programs. States can experience a greater return on investment by focusing on the first three years of children’s lives. Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick also highlighted the need to improve child care accessibility and early readiness in prekindergarten to enhance workforce productivity and student achievement.
Legislative Priorities
The summit coincided with Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s call for state senators to study various topics, including child care accessibility and early readiness, as part of their legislative priorities for the upcoming session.
Impact on Texas Kids
Texans Care for Children CEO Stephanie Rubin expressed hope that progress in addressing child care and early education challenges would be a significant step forward for Texas kids.
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators in the Article
1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?
- SDG 4: Quality Education
- SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
The article discusses the challenges and importance of child care and early education, which are directly related to SDG 4, which aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education for all. It also mentions the economic impact of child care issues, which is connected to SDG 8, which focuses on promoting sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth.
2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?
- Target 4.2: By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development, care, and pre-primary education.
- Target 8.5: By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for young people and persons with disabilities, and equal pay for work of equal value.
The article highlights the need to improve access to affordable, high-quality child care and early education, which aligns with Target 4.2 of SDG 4. It also mentions the economic losses caused by child care issues, indicating the importance of achieving full and productive employment for parents, which relates to Target 8.5 of SDG 8.
3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?
- Indicator 4.2.1: Proportion of children under 5 years of age who are developmentally on track in health, learning, and psychosocial well-being, by sex.
- Indicator 8.5.1: Average hourly earnings of female and male employees, by occupation, age group, and persons with disabilities.
The article does not explicitly mention specific indicators. However, to measure progress towards Target 4.2 of SDG 4, the indicator 4.2.1 can be used to assess the proportion of children under 5 years of age who are developmentally on track. For Target 8.5 of SDG 8, the indicator 8.5.1 can be used to measure the average hourly earnings of employees, including gender and disability disaggregated data.
Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 4: Quality Education | Target 4.2: By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development, care, and pre-primary education. | Indicator 4.2.1: Proportion of children under 5 years of age who are developmentally on track in health, learning, and psychosocial well-being, by sex. |
| SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth | Target 8.5: By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for young people and persons with disabilities, and equal pay for work of equal value. | Indicator 8.5.1: Average hourly earnings of female and male employees, by occupation, age group, and persons with disabilities. |
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Source: dallasnews.com
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