A new study, It’s time for an ambitious national investment in America’s children, has been released by the Economic Policy Institute (EPI). The report finds that investments in early childhood care and education would have enormous benefits for children, families, society, and the economy.

The report endorses several recommendations to reduce income inequality and to improve the economy, including:

• Home visiting: Expanding public funding for home visits by trained nurses to help expectant parents make healthy choices both before and after childbirth.
• High-quality child care: Providing resources necessary to ensure all families can access high-quality child care with well-trained, professional staff qualified to provide early childhood education.
• Well-qualified teachers: Providing resources to ensure the professionalization of early childhood caregivers and teachers.

The report also provides a range of Wisconsin-based factsheets

Here’s sample factsheet:

This report adds to growing evidence of the importance of investing in early care and education.

Dave Edie
Early Education Policy Analyst