As I was browsing the NIEER website I discovered links that are
sorted by categories. For example, access, assessment, economics and finance, English
language learners, federal, outcomes, quality and curriculum, state and local,
stem, and work force. Once clicking on a link, it takes you to a series of
research articles that relate to the topic chosen. As I was browsing this area
of the website I learned there is a lot of research information provided. A lot
of this information is given based on issues within ECED while giving dates and
years of the current events. Something I really like about this part of the
website is while it provides many different articles starting with the most
recent, it then also has subgroups within that article. For example, an article
titled “Why Should the federal government support high- quality early
education?” has a subheading which describes the points the article will focus
on. This article in particular lists, access, assessment, state and local and
pre-k evaluations (nieer.org) as the subgroups. I like this because it explains
what you may find in the article and makes it easier to identify whether this
article will answer your questions.
While I do receive
the weekly newsletters, I am unable to open any links provided by the newsletter.
I enjoy reading the news letters because they provide great information about current
topics of discussion in early childhood education and also provide great
resources. It is disappointing that these links are reporting as “blocked” by
the organization, but the information shared gives me an idea of what I can
research on my own. The information from this week’s newsletter is about the
qualifications a teacher should obtain in order to educate young children. The
newsletter discusses a two- tier system that could be implemented where
teachers enter with high- qualifications will receive jobs with more pay and
benefits while teachers who enter with lower qualifications will receive poor
pay and few benefits with less hope of advancement through the field
(nieer.org). This article argues that teachers should have at least a BA in
order to educate young children and states that this will make education better
for young children as well as the community.
This information
relates to our topic of discussion this week about equity because the quality
of a program is sometimes determined by the qualification of the teachers
within the program. Families want their children to attend high- quality
programs with teachers of high- quality.
Proposing that teachers are required to have at least a BA may increase
the amount of high- quality programs within a state. I also came across an
article about a family who was struggling to make ends meet due to the cost of
child care. Since the cost of childcare is almost the same amount as a family’s
mortgage, it is challenging to not fall below the poverty line even when living
in a two-income household. This article explained that this family had to make
other arrangements and sell their house and move in with family members in
order to afford the bills of childcare. This is a challenge that many families
face creating several barriers for families to overcome in order to provide
their child with quality education.
After researching
many articles discussing barriers families face with regards to equity in early
childhood education, I have learned how difficult it can be to afford the
services you want for your child. At times, it is out of your control as to
what can be afforded, but with the appropriate supports provided by a state a
family can receive these programs. I also realize that even a family who has
two steady incomes may face challenges when it comes to paying for high-
quality education programs. There are many barriers that even I could face one
day and it is important to be aware of these barriers.
Reference
Rutgers Graduate School of Education. (2018). National Institute
for Early Education Research (NIEER). Retrieved from:
nieer.org/research-topics/access
