Topic: Early Childhood

Federal funding increases are making quality child care more affordable for Oklahoma families

A new report from Oklahoma Policy Institute finds that new federal grant funding is making affordable child care a reality for more Oklahomans. [More...]

Expansion in Federal Funding is Improving Access and Quality in Oklahoma’s Child Care Subsidy Program

In fiscal year 2019, Oklahoma’s child care subsidy program operated by the Oklahoma Department of Human Services (OKDHS) received a $32 million increase in federal funding, which represents a 36 percent increase from the previous year. With Oklahoma continuing its state commitment to the subsidy program, OKDHS was able to significantly improve provider rates, invest in training for providers, and reduce costs and expand eligibility for Oklahoma families. [More...]

Increased federal funding gives child subsidy a much-needed boost

Parents who seek child care for infants and toddlers face a common conundrum. Without child care parents cannot work, yet many working families cannot afford the costly child care they need to maintain employment. This is why helping families who earn low-incomes get access to quality child care is so important. [More...]

SB 11: Delaying Pre-K would be a step back for Oklahoma’s children

SB 11 would move cutoff dates for children entering pre-K from September 1 to July 1. Oklahoma would be the only state to have a cutoff before July 31st. The change would delay pre-K eligibility by a year for children who are two months shy of the new cutoff date. SB 11 would particularly hurt low-income families and children of color who benefit most from pre-K programs. [More...]

New research finds Tulsa Head Start program produces lasting gains (Guest Blog: Deborah Phillips and William Gormley)

Deborah Phillips is Professor of Psychology and William Gormley is Professor of Government and Public Policy at Georgetown University. Their Tulsa-based research on early childhood education has appeared in the top scientific journals in their fields, in national media outlets,… Read more [More...]

Child care is getting less accessible for Oklahoma’s working parents

For many working Oklahoma families, child care is both an absolute requirement and a significant expense. The cost of child care can easily match or even surpass that of college tuition. Low-income families can catch a break through child care… Read more [More...]

Why tracking school readiness matters (Guest Post: Krista Schumacher & Naneida Lazarte Alcalá)

Naneida Lazarte Alcalá is a Research Manager with the Oklahoma Department of Human Services. She holds a Ph.D. in Economics from Oklahoma State University. Krista Schumacher is a Senior Researcher with the Oklahoma Department of Human Services. She is working… Read more [More...]

Guest Post (Paul Shinn): How we can move from good child care to quality early learning

Paul Shinn is public policy analyst for Community Action Project of Tulsa County, which offers early learning and other programs for low-income children and families across Tulsa.  This post initially appeared on CAP’s Tulsa Initiative blog. At Community Action Project… Read more [More...]

Will Oklahoma continue to lead the way in early childhood education?

Young children have one of the strongest claims for public support. They are dependent on us and clearly not to blame for any economic hardships they face. Early childhood is also a smart investment of public dollars, since providing a… Read more [More...]

Early Childhood Fiscal Map

For a project funded by Smart Start Oklahoma, Oklahoma Policy Institute developed a fiscal map of the federal, state, local, and private supports for young children in our state. Read more... [More...]