|
Meeting DLL's Needs: New America introduced a new blog series this week exploring the importance of understanding the needs of Dual Language Learners (DLLs) in the context of Early Care and Education. “Because DLLs represent a growing segment of the U.S. population, and because the early years are so foundational to long-term success, it is important that education leaders have clear insights about these students: who and where they are, the services they receive, and how they are progressing,” says New America Policy Analyst Janie T. Carnock about the blog. Meeting the needs of DLLs could go a long way in closing the Achievement Gap according to an article this week in Education Dive. Following a Spanish-language emersion class in Chula Vista, CA, where the kindergarteners are taught primarily in Spanish, with a gradual increase in English in progressive grades, students in the district are meeting or exceeding state standards in English language arts.
|
|
|
Disparities in Autism: This week, NPR reported on new findings suggesting that children with autism in Black and Latino communities are often diagnosed later than White children. “There are many possible reasons for a late diagnosis. Some families face healthcare access issues and prohibitive costs for treatment, and some families just don't know how important it is to get diagnosed to move on to the treatment phase,” wrote journalist Casey Rentz. Doctors misinterpreting the signs as “bad” or “slow” behavior was another reason. Late diagnosis is a problem as it can truncate proper intervention and treatment. Rentz goes on to highlight the Westside Regional Center in Culver City, CA, which recently received a grant to look at how disparities manifest. “We've implemented a series of trainings with intake counselors on cultural awareness and sensitivity, and we're starting to have a lot of conversations about biases," says Tom Kelly, Westside's chief psychologist to NPR.
|
|
|
Draw-A-Scientist: Even in 2018, most children think scientists are men, according to a new study analyzing children’s drawings over a span of over 50 years. And while today only 3 in 10 children draw women when asked to draw a scientist, it is more than what it’s been in past, reports The Washington Post, The Atlantic, and Scientific American. The report, published Tuesday in the journal Child Development, reviewed 78 draw-a-scientist studies starting from 1966. According to The Atlantic, in 1983, of the almost 5,000 drawings of scientists produced, just 28 children drew women. “It is important because it shows that children’s gender stereotypes of scientists have decreased over the past five decades in the United States,” Western Michigan University communications professor Jocelyn Steinke, who studies media representation of scientists, told The Washington Post. Mount Saint Mary’s University recently released their annual "Report on the Status of Women and Girls in California™" finding that in 2016, 42 percent of those in the physical and life sciences in California were women.
|
|
Politics and Current Events
|
|
More Dollars for Kids: Today the House passed a funding bill to keep the government afloat till September, reports NPR. And while there is much to say about the bill, one item that stands out is funding for Early Childhood Education. The Child Care Development Block Grant would see a $2.3 billion increase, which, if signed, would be the largest single-year increase in the program’s history, according to The Hill. Additionally, Head Start would get a $610 million increase bringing the total to $9.9 billion, reports The 74 Million. The preschool development grants that help states create or start preschool programs would stay funded at $250 million, as it has for the past several years. Several K-12 programs also saw proposed increases in funding, including charter schools and school safety programs, likely due to the public outcry over the Parkland, Florida mass shooting.
|
|
Won’t You Be My Neighbor: Beloved children’s TV personality Mr. Rogers would have turned 90 this past Tuesday, and to mark the day the official trailer for the new documentary about his legacy was released, according to the Huffington Post. The film is directed by Oscar-winning filmmaker Morgan Neville and follows the duration of the show -- “Mr. Rogers Neighborhood” -- from 1968 through 2001. A new biopic is also in the pipeline -- "You Are My Friend" will star Tom Hanks, reports USA Today.
|
|
The Stein Early Child Development Fund, Letter of Inquiry Invitation, Grantmaking Cycle 3: The Fund is offering two-year grants up to $100,000 to support organizations with presence across Los Angeles County working on pre-natal to three-year-old children issues to build and implement communications strategies that educate the general public, families, and policymakers about the brain development and the social-emotional development that occurs between pre-natal to three-years of age, and the overall benefits to society and to children that occur when quality programs and investments are available.
The Fund is welcoming Letters of Inquiry (LOI) between April 2, 2018 to May 7, 2018 from nonprofit organizations across Los Angeles County working to develop communications strategies, build broad partnerships, organize and host a series of activities to engage families, policymakers and voters in alignment with the Fund’s mission. The LOI should not exceed two pages.
The deadline for LOI’s is Monday, May 7,2018 by 5:00 p.m. and should be emailed to: Araceli Sandoval-Gonzalez at araceli@asgstrategyconsulting.com.
|
|
March 3–24 (one in every district) -- Los Angeles Women and Girls Initiative Community Convenings, times and locations vary by district. Click here for more information.
March 28 -- Data, Dialogue and Deliberate Steps to Achieving Equity in Los Angeles, 10:00 a.m. –noon, Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce, 350 S. Bixel Street Los Angeles, CA 90017. Fee $100, click here to register.
April 4 -- Stormwater, Health & Equity Regional Workshop, 8:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m., Casa Italiana, 1051 N. Broadway Los Angeles, CA 90012. Free, click here to RSVP.
April 7 -- Unheard LA – live in Baldwin Park, 5:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m., Baldwin Park Performing Arts Center 4640 Maine Ave. Baldwin Park, CA 91706. Free, click here to RSVP for the event.
April 26-27 -- Black, Brown, and Powerful: Freedom Dreams in Unequal Cities held by the Institute on Inequality and Democracy at UCLA Luskin, 5:00 - 8:00 p.m., 8:30 a.m.-3: 00 p.m. Los Angeles Trade-Technical College, South Tent 400 West Washington Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90015. Click here for more information.
|
|
ICYMI: In Case You Missed It, More Great Reads
|
|
|
|
