School readiness

Partner Spotlight: Advocates Tell a Data-Driven Story About Texas Communities

The non-profit organization Texans Care for Children drives policy change to improve kids’ lives, helping them to grow up healthy, safe, and successful. But without local data, Texans Care for Children struggled to inform lawmakers

Updated Dashboard Shows Opportunities to Improve Texas School Readiness

The Texas School Readiness Dashboard released today shows that Texas is falling short in a number of early childhood measures — such as children’s health coverage, child hunger, and access to high-quality child care —

1 in 5 Texas households with young kids struggle with child care, survey finds

Recently, the Prenatal-to-3 Policy Impact Center helped Texans Care for Children update their Texas School Readiness Dashboard. The data point to child care provider closures, high costs, a lack of options and safety concerns among

State Policy Lever Checklist: Evidence-Based Home Visiting Programs

Home visiting programs provide comprehensive support and education to expectant and new parents  and/or primary caregivers in the home. Though states may choose to target a variety of outcomes through evidence-based home visiting programs, such

Investing in Young Children Strengthens our Economy  

Policies supporting early childhood help people meet their full potential, as well as facilitate economic growth. Tax credits reduce child poverty, paid family leave improves parents’ mental health, and Early Head Start programs enhance literacy

The Build Back Better Act: Increasing Affordability, Access, and Quality of Child Care for Infants and Toddlers

The federal Build Back Better Act proposes a historic investment in the care of infants and toddlers that increases access and affordability by raising income eligibility levels in many states, capping family copayments, and setting

The Build Back Better Act: Increasing Affordability, Access, and Quality of Child Care for Infants and Toddlers

The full cost of high-quality child care is commonly equivalent to tuition at a four-year public university. To help working families with low incomes afford care, child care subsidy programs provide financial assistance to improve

EdsUp! Podcast with Policy Impact Center’s Dr. Abby Lane

Our own Dr. Abby Lane joins EdsUp! podcast host Dr. Cathy Grace for a conversation about the American Rescue Plan and its many implications for early care and education. Listen below and on Sound Cloud.

The LBJ School of Public Affairs Hosts Dr. John B. King for a Conversation about Closing the Education Gap

On October 28, 2020, the LBJ School welcomed Dr. John B. King, the president and CEO of The Education Trust and the former U.S. Secretary of Education under President Barack Obama.