In 2023, EdSurge published a record number of early care and education stories—the most we've published since we started covering the age group nearly five years ago.
That's why this year, for the first time, we bring you a list of the stories that resonated most with you, our readers. Below you'll find our 10 most popular early childhood stories from the past 12 months, which can be divided into two groups.
In one, we have several stories that delve into the dire conditions of the early learning sector today and what is at stake now that pandemic-era federal funding has expired. Why is this field so fractured and fragile? What happens now that early learning programs have fallen off the “fiscal cliff”?
In the other, we have stories of hope and resilience. In them, our reporters and contributors explore potential solutions and promising innovations underway that may offer relief to this struggling field, now that broad federal investment in early education is highly unlikely. These stories include local efforts, private sector contributions, and public-private partnerships that, in many cases, can be scaled up.
Check out our most read stories of 2023 below. And if 10 isn't enough, you can read all of our early childhood coverage here.
The 10 most popular ECE stories, in descending order
10. How a small town in a red state united around universal preschool
By Emily Tate Sullivan
In 2017, kindergarten readiness rates in American Falls, a one-stop-light farming community in conservative Idaho, hit rock bottom. Then a school leader launched a campaign encouraging families to “read, talk and play” with children every day. That simple mantra became a movement and today the city has adopted the goal of achieving universal preschool. Our reporter visited American Falls to find out exactly how this transformation unfolded.
9. The Child Care Cliff, a Cautionary Tale
By Rebecca Gale and Dianne Kirsch
What is the chasm of child care and why should people care? Those are the questions that Rebecca Gale and Dianne Kirsch teamed up to explore with their graphic story. In a series of illustrations, the duo discuss the child care chasm, what happens after federal child care funding runs out, and why we should support efforts to invest in child care infrastructure.
8. Child care programs suffer closures, resignations and tuition increases after federal funding expires
By Emily Tate Sullivan
It's been a few months since $24 billion in child care stabilization grants expired, sending the nation's child care and education programs into the so-called fiscal cliff. Without an interim funding solution, the problems those dollars helped mask are resurfacing. We spoke with educators and families in West Virginia to understand what that historic funding allowed them to do and the “impossible choices” they now face.
7. What to know about the growing popularity of employer-sponsored child care
By Emily Tate Sullivan
Employers are increasingly involved in child care, offering benefits such as on-site care and monthly stipends to offset costs. Last May, EdSurge published a detailed story about this growing trend and the controversy surrounding it. The following month, we published a separate story about the key findings from our reporting on employer-sponsored child care—our “TL;DR” version.
6. We need better pathways to becoming early childhood teachers
By Jay Lee
“Access to high-quality early childhood education is one of the most powerful and proven ways to close equity gaps and support communities,” writes Jay Lee, an early childhood teacher in Oakland, California. But there are not enough teachers. So, Lee asks, why is it so difficult to become a certified early childhood teacher? In his essay, Lee explores why building inclusive and accessible pathways is key.
5. Federal government launches first-of-its-kind early childhood workforce center
By Emily Tate Sullivan
The challenges facing the education and child care workforce have reached critical levels since the pandemic began, and the federal government has taken notice. No, the feds aren't offering universal pre-K or capping the cost of child care (at least not yet), but they have launched a first-of-its-kind ECE Workforce Center to improve compensation and working conditions in the field . And they seek to produce real solutions, not just research reports.
4. Who looks after the mental health of babies and young children?
By Emily Tate Sullivan
Much attention has been paid lately to the mental health crisis among adolescents. But what about the younger children? Children of all ages, even babies, can suffer from mental health problems and were not immune to the stressors caused by the pandemic. We spoke to experts to find out what it looks like when babies and toddlers struggle and why early intervention is essential.
3. Did Covid break childcare or was it already broken? A brief visual explanation
By Rebecca Gale and Dianne Kirsch
“America's child care system doesn't work for anyone. Without sustained federal investment, it will remain bankrupt,” writes Rebecca Gale, a researcher with the Better Life Lab at New America. This visual explanation, which Gale collaborated on with illustrator Dianne Kirsch, explains why.
2. As Bezos Academy preschools spread nationwide, early childhood experts weigh in
By Lilah Burke
Five years ago, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos announced plans to donate money to launch a chain of free preschools. As of May 2023, the Bezos Academy network had more than a dozen sites in Washington, Texas and Florida. Here's what has pleasantly surprised early childhood experts about the new Montessori-style programs, and what hasn't left them so impressed.
1. What happens when you give money to child care providers, with no strings attached?
By Emily Tate Sullivan
What happens if you give child care providers predictable, unconditional cash? That's the question driving the Prosperous Suppliers Project, a pilot project launched in Colorado and expanding to cities across the country. The initiative is based on the idea that guaranteed income will improve the economic stability of caregivers and, in turn, allow them and the families they serve to prosper. We take a close look at how it works and how it goes.
