Transforming Early Years Policy in the U.S.: A Call to Action

This book discusses the urgent policy issues facing early childhood care and education in the US, such as fragmented policy systems, low pay for early years professionals, standards that fail to increase equity, and overlooking the role of community contexts in producing or ameliorating social inequalities among children. It provides practice-based recommendations for transforming inequitable systems and centers the perspectives of Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color, with a focus on the effects of systemic racism, ageism, sexism, classism, and associated oppressions on early years policies and programs.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 224 pages
Publication date: 24 February 2023
Publisher: Teachers' College Press

This comprehensive collection offers a timely and accessible exploration of some of the most pressing policy issues confronting early childhood care and education in the United States. Fragmented policy systems, a broad disregard for early years professionals, inadequate standards that fail to promote equity, and an oversight of the role of community contexts in perpetuating or mitigating social inequalities among children are among the critical concerns addressed. Contributors, drawn from diverse backgrounds as educators, scholars, and advocates, draw upon their deep personal experiences to provide practical recommendations for transforming the nation's inequitable systems. Supported by an accessible and powerful advocacy toolkit, their call to collective action is rooted in a commitment to centering the perspectives of Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color, with a particular focus on the impact of systemic racism, ageism, sexism, classism, and associated oppressions on early years policies and programs.

The book features concise essays that acknowledge the demands on contemporary readers' time while providing insightful analysis. Authors represent a diverse cross-section of educators, advocates, researchers, and leaders engaged in meaningful dialogue with each other. Personal stories embedded within the essays vividly illustrate how policies and systems affect individuals, underscoring the urgent need for transformative changes in early care and education policies. The call for action is reinforced by practical tools that facilitate the connection between personal reflection and collective action, empowering readers to become active participants in shaping a more equitable future for young children and their families.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780807768143