UNK Program Builds Statewide Partnerships to Strengthen, Expand Early Childhood Education – Rural Radio Network

Report on the Knowledge Network for Early Childhood Education Workforce (KNEW) Initiative in Rural Nebraska

Executive Summary

A significant shortage of quality, accessible early childhood care and education in rural Nebraska poses a critical barrier to achieving multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including those related to quality education, gender equality, decent work, and sustainable communities. In response, the University of Nebraska at Kearney (UNK) has launched the Knowledge Network for Early Childhood Education Workforce (KNEW), a federally funded initiative. This report outlines the challenges addressed by KNEW, its strategic approach, and its alignment with the global development agenda through community-level action in areas such as Valentine and Holdrege.

The Childcare Crisis as a Barrier to Sustainable Development

Socioeconomic Impacts on Rural Communities

The lack of sufficient childcare infrastructure in rural Nebraska directly impedes local and state-level progress. A 2023 report from Voices for Children in Nebraska highlighted the severity of the issue:

• 84 of Nebraska’s 93 counties lack sufficient licensed child care capacity.
• Nine counties are classified as “child care deserts” with no licensed providers.
• Nearly one-third of parents with young children have left the workforce due to an inability to find affordable care.

This deficit forces families to make difficult choices, often resulting in workforce attrition and potential out-migration from rural areas, which threatens community vitality.

Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The childcare shortage presents a direct challenge to the following SDGs:

1. SDG 4: Quality Education: The crisis limits access to foundational early learning environments, compromising children’s developmental outcomes as outlined in Target 4.2.
2. SDG 5: Gender Equality: The burden of care disproportionately affects women, creating significant barriers to their economic empowerment and full participation in the workforce.
3. SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth: Local businesses and the broader economy suffer when parents cannot secure reliable childcare, leading to a reduced labor force and economic instability.
4. SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities: The availability of essential services like childcare is fundamental to making communities inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable. Its absence undermines efforts to retain and attract young families to rural areas.

The KNEW Initiative: A Collaborative Framework for Action

Program Overview and Objectives

Led by UNK with a $2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education, the KNEW program is a two-year initiative designed to strengthen the recruitment and retention of early childhood educators across 17 rural communities. The primary goal is to build a sustainable infrastructure that supports both providers and families, thereby fostering community and economic resilience.

Advancing SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

KNEW exemplifies a multi-stakeholder partnership model essential for achieving the SDGs. The initiative unites key actors to create shared strategies and scalable solutions. Core partners include:

• The University of Nebraska at Kearney (UNK)
• Communities for Kids
• Nebraska Extension
• The U.S. Department of Education
• Local community leaders, business partners, and early childhood professionals

Community-Level Implementation and Impact

Case Study: Valentine, Cherry County

In Valentine, community leaders like Jill Austin of the Valentine Children and Families Coalition face a deficit of approximately 40 childcare spots. The community’s participation in KNEW builds on its forward-thinking approach to problem-solving, which includes innovative partnerships to open new facilities. These local efforts are crucial for advancing SDG 11 (Sustainable Communities) by creating the social infrastructure necessary to support population growth and retain young families.

Case Study: Holdrege, Phelps County

The community of Holdrege is experiencing growth but struggles with understaffed childcare centers. McKenna Fahrenbruch, director of the Holdrege Area Early Childhood Partnership, emphasizes the need to professionalize the early childhood workforce. By empowering providers to see themselves as business owners and essential professionals, the initiative directly supports SDG 8 (Decent Work) and enhances the quality of care, aligning with SDG 4 (Quality Education).

Strategic Interventions and Long-Term Vision

Core Program Components

The KNEW program employs a multi-faceted strategy to build long-term capacity:

1. Professional Development: An online course and local training programs provide resources for educators to strengthen their practice, directly contributing to SDG 4.
2. Network Building: Statewide gatherings allow participants from different communities to share best practices and build collaborative networks, reinforcing SDG 17.
3. Research and Data Collection: A comprehensive study involving over 200 participants will identify factors that support workforce sustainability. This data will inform evidence-based solutions to reduce inequalities (SDG 10) between rural and urban areas.

Conclusion: Scaling Solutions for National Impact

The KNEW initiative provides a robust model for addressing the early childhood education workforce crisis in rural America. By integrating research, professional development, and community partnerships, the program creates a sustainable framework that directly supports the achievement of the SDGs. The findings and best practices developed in Nebraska are intended to be scaled and shared, offering a blueprint for other states facing similar challenges in building a resilient and equitable future for their communities.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 4: Quality Education

  The article’s central theme is the provision of early childhood care and education. It discusses the need to expand access, improve quality, and support the workforce in this sector, which directly aligns with the goal of ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education.

• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

  The article explicitly links the lack of childcare to economic consequences. It states that parents leave the workforce, which “affects local businesses and the broader state economy.” Furthermore, the KNEW program’s focus on professionalizing the role of early childhood educators and treating them as “business owners and professionals” relates to the goal of achieving decent work for all.

• SDG 5: Gender Equality

  While not explicitly mentioned, the issue of childcare availability is intrinsically linked to gender equality. The article notes that “almost a third of parents with children ages 5 and younger left the workforce because they couldn’t find affordable child care.” Historically and globally, this burden disproportionately affects women, making access to childcare a critical enabler for their full and effective participation in economic life.

• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

  The article highlights a significant disparity in access to services between different regions within Nebraska. The focus on “17 rural communities and counties” and the statistic that “84 of the state’s 93 counties do not have enough licensed child care spots,” with nine being “child care deserts,” points to a geographical inequality that initiatives like KNEW aim to reduce.

• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

  The article emphasizes that childcare is a foundational service for community vitality and sustainability. It quotes a community leader saying, “people won’t move back if there’s no child care or no housing.” The lack of these services can lead to a “loss of workforce, community vitality and economic resilience,” directly impacting the goal of making communities inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Target 4.2: By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development, care and pre-primary education so that they are ready for primary education.

   The entire article is dedicated to this target. Initiatives like the Valentine Children and Families Coalition and the KNEW program are working to “expand access to child care” and “enhance and expand the early childhood workforce” to address the deficit in early learning opportunities.

2. Target 8.5: By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men… and equal pay for work of equal value.

   The article connects childcare access directly to employment, stating that “parents without reliable child care may struggle to maintain stable employment.” The effort to reshape how the profession is viewed—”We want our providers to see themselves as business owners and professionals”—also aligns with the “decent work” aspect of this target.

3. Target 5.4: Recognize and value unpaid care and domestic work through the provision of public services, infrastructure and social protection policies…

   The article addresses the need for childcare infrastructure (“we must keep thinking outside the box to recruit and retain rural providers”) as a critical public service. By creating and supporting childcare facilities, communities are providing the infrastructure necessary to enable caregivers to participate in the formal economy.

4. Target 11.1: By 2030, ensure access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing and basic services…

   Childcare is presented as a basic service essential for a community’s survival and growth. The article notes that the return of young families and community growth is contingent on the availability of such services: “people won’t move back if there’s no child care or no housing.”

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Indicator for Target 4.2: The article provides several direct and implied indicators to measure access to and the sufficiency of early childhood education.
  • Number of available child care spots vs. demand: The article quantifies the shortage, stating, “84 of the state’s 93 counties do not have enough licensed child care spots to meet the potential demand.”
  • Number of “child care deserts”: A clear metric is mentioned: “Nine of those counties were classified as ‘child care deserts,’ with no licensed child care available.”
  • Local child deficit: A specific local indicator is given for Valentine: “we’re probably at a 40-kid deficit right now.”
  • Number of early childhood providers: The need to “recruit and retain rural providers” is a recurring theme, implying that the number of providers is a key progress indicator.
• Indicator for Target 8.5: The article implies indicators related to the impact of childcare on the workforce.
  • Labor force participation rate of parents: The statistic that “almost a third of parents with children ages 5 and younger left the workforce because they couldn’t find affordable child care” serves as a direct indicator of the economic impact.
  • Operational capacity of child care centers: The statement that “A lot of our centers in Holdrege are not functioning at full capacity because they don’t have enough staff” is an indicator of underemployment within the sector and its ripple effect on the community’s workforce.
• Indicator for Target 11.1: The article suggests indicators for community health and sustainability.
  • Migration patterns of young families: The article describes a positive trend of “Young families are moving back” to communities like Valentine, which is an indicator of community vitality linked to the availability of services.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: ruralradio.com