To ensure children thrive from the start

PRINT
Early in her career, Cynthia Osborne learned that the pathway to opportunity is paved by much more than a quality education. In 1994, a few years after graduating from college, Osborne began teaching middle school while also obtaining her master’s degree in education. “My students were largely from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds, and they taught me that while their classroom learning and my instruction mattered, it didn’t matter nearly as much as what was going on in their communities and in their families. That drew me to want to understand how families and communities can be better supported, so that all kids have the experiences that they deserve,” said Osborne, professor of early childhood education and policy and executive director of the Prenatal-to-3 Policy Impact Center at Vanderbilt Peabody College of education and human development.

Read the full article from Vanderbilt.edu

Related

The Impact of State Minimum Wage Increases

In the 20 states where the minimum wage is set at the federal level of $7.25 per hour, full-time workers earning the minimum wage are paid well below the federal poverty line, making it difficult

A Tale of Two States: The Impact of State Policy Choices on Family Resources

Since the release of our 2020 Prenatal-to-3 State Policy Roadmap, every state has increased their investment in at least one effective Roadmap policy, but the choices they have made vary considerably.  The distinct choices that

State Policy Lever Checklist: State Child Tax Credit

Research is clear that money matters for children’s wellbeing and achievement. Greater income allows parents to better meet children’s basic needs, and financial stability can reduce parental stress. State child tax credits (CTCs) provide one