On February 19th, Mayors from counties across the state joined TQEE to emphasize the importance of policies that would allow for accessible and affordable childcare, expanded Pre-K and overall improved early learning. As Mayor Julian McTizic of Bolivar put it: “The future of our community and the future of our state depends on early childhood…
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Mayor McTizic – Bolivar, TN – On Early Education, PreK and Child Care
We were thrilled to have the support of Mayor Julian McTizic of Bolivar, TN at our 2020 Day on the Hill. Mayor McTizic joined us in advocating for improved early childhood education including expanded access to high-quality PreK and child care options for Tennessee families. Check out these videos below where the Mayor shared his…
» Read MoreBack-to-School 2020: Care.com survey reveals what’s really on the minds of working parents
We thought you’d be interested in the COVID-19 Working Parents Survey by Care.com. They asked 1,000 working parents with children under the age of 15 how they’re feeling about juggling their child care responsibilities with work responsibilities during this crisis. Here’s what the survey revealed: 64% of parents said they are at least somewhat uncomfortable…
» Read MoreWorking Parents Are Hitting Their Coronavirus Breaking Point—and Paying for It
A recent article in the Wall Street Journal reports the dire impact that COVID-19 is having on child care – many options are closed and prices are rising. According to the article: “Working parents going on six months without school or camp are about to take another hit: rising child-care costs. Parents with school-age children…
» Read MoreTennessee’s Child Care Crisis is an Economic Crisis
As Tennessee and other states nurture the reopening of their economies, a growing child care crisis poses extreme challenges for working parents and employers. With many school systems remaining closed this fall and nearly half of all child care centers now closed as well, working parents of young children face high-pressure decisions about how they…
» Read MoreParents Scramble as Child Care Teeters on Brink of Collapse
Child care has always been vitally linked to economic productivity. Working parents need child care services to support their efforts to earn a living for their families and provide a stable, nurturing environment for their precious children. That the national and Tennessee economies are critically dependent on a fully functioning child care system is a…
» Read MoreSummer Learning At Home with PBS
As students step into summer and cap off the end of a disrupted school year, mitigating the proverbial “summer slide” is all the more important. To make sure that the educational gains made over the year are sustained and strengthened over the summer, the Tennessee Department of Education (TDOE) has begun the second phase of…
» Read MoreTri-Cities Educator Says Pre-K Waitlist Shows Need is Great
Especially in difficult economic times, expanding access to Tennessee’s Voluntary Pre-K (TN-VPK) program makes good sense. The reason is simple – TN-VPK works: Plus, TQEE’s survey shows Tennesseans – Republicans and Democrats – are united in support Pre-K: Tennessee’s voluntary Pre-K program at present is limited to about 40 percent of eligible 4-year-olds. TQEE supports…
» Read MoreU.S. Chamber Makes the Business Case for High-Quality Child Care
In its publication, Workforce of Today, Workforce of Tomorrow: The Business Case for High-Quality Child Care, the U..S Chamber of Commerce Foundation does one of the best jobs we’ve seen of articulating the case for state investment in affordable, high quality child care across the nation and right here in Tennessee. Here are excerpts from…
» Read MoreKnox Co. Schools In-Home Learning Model: Q&A with Dr. Beth Lackey
Web-based education has become the new normal for school districts across the state, as teachers and students transitioned to remote learning models to curb the spread of COVID-19. While this transition has enabled teachers and students to utilize technology in new ways, it’s also highlighted the need for greater access to online learning materials for…
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