A Timeline of Early Childhood Education: From Historical Roots to Modern Innovations

Introduction

The evolution of early childhood education is a story of societal shifts, evolving priorities, and a growing understanding of the critical importance of a child's formative years. From wartime necessities to groundbreaking research and policy changes, the journey of early childhood education reflects a continuous effort to provide the best possible start for every child. This article explores this rich history, highlighting key milestones and the dedicated individuals and organizations that have shaped the landscape of early learning.

The Genesis of Early Years: A North Carolina Story

The story of Early Years begins in 1974 with the convergence of two independent organizations: the Durham Day Care Council in Durham County and the Day Care Services Association in Orange County. These organizations laid the foundation for the future of early childhood education in the region.

In 1976, The Day Care Council opened an office on Market Street in Durham and began providing resource and referral services, with Durham leading the way as a trailblazer in North Carolina. The Durham Day Care Council established a list of standards for family day care homes and started visiting homes to help them meet the city building and fire safety features before a formal inspection.

The Day Care Services Association (DCSA) initiated the pilot Child Care Teacher Education and Compensation Program, which later became the TEACH Early Childhood® Project. With $23,100 from five funding sources, including the Durham and Orange United Ways and the Greater Triangle Community Foundation, DCSA offered scholarships to 21 teachers to attend community college and take courses leading to an associate’s degree in early childhood education.

Landmark Studies and a Focus on Infants and Toddlers

Early Years unveiled its groundbreaking study, "Who's Caring for our Babies? A Profile of Early Care and Education for Children Birth to Three in North Carolina". This study aimed to provide an understanding of the quality, supply, and accessibility of infant and toddler care in North Carolina. The results indicated that infants and toddlers, including those receiving child care subsidies, had significantly less access to quality child care than 3 to 5-year-olds.

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With national and state attention focused on school readiness and helping four-year-olds come to school better prepared, it was crucial to assess what was happening for the youngest citizens. Research shows that learning begins at birth, emphasizing the importance of investing in early care and education for infants and toddlers.

Expansion and Innovation: The Jim and Carolyn Hunt Child Care Resource Center

Early Years successfully completed the construction of the Jim and Carolyn Hunt Child Care Resource Center in Durham. Named for former Governor Jim B. Hunt, Jr., who launched North Carolina’s pioneering early childhood initiative, Smart Start, the 27,000 square foot facility became home to Early Years’ Child Care Resource and Referral division and Durham’s Partnership for Children. By co-locating these agencies, families and child care providers now have a one-stop resource center for all of their child care needs.

Former Gov. Jim Hunt expressed his gratitude, stating, "I don’t think anything touches having a child-care resource center named for us and to help all these little children."

Nourishing Children: The Evolution of Meal Services

In 2008, the construction of a state-of-the-art commercial kitchen at the Jim and Carolyn Hunt Child Care Resource Center in Durham County marked a significant milestone. With this expansion, Early Years began providing two nutritious meals and one snack per day to almost 1,400 children in participating child care centers in the Triangle.

In 2020, Early Years's meal service program transformed into spoonFULL (Fresh, Unique, Liked, and Local), celebrating the journey of using food as a catalyst for change.

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Recognition and Leadership

Early Years was recognized by Carolina Parent Magazine as one of the NC Family-Friendly 40 Companies for the second year in a row, showcasing its dedication to creating flexible policies to accommodate each employee’s unique family needs.

Anna Carter became the second president of Early Years, encouraging the community to “…look at Early Years as a whole and see the work that has been done locally, statewide, and nationally.” Human Resources manager Teresa Graves described Anna as “very laid back and calm, with a great sense of humor,” always ready to lend a hand in agency activities.

Honoring the Founders: Dorothy Graham and Mary Bridgers

Dorothy Graham and Mary Bridgers were the driving forces behind the creation of Durham Day Care Council and Day Care Services Association in the mid-1970s. They were champions for change, fueled by a profound passion for educating and nurturing young minds. Both Dorothy and Mary believed in the power of quality child care and dedicated themselves to the cause.

Every two years at the Triangle Child Care Awards breakfast, the Dorothy B. Graham Early Childhood Leadership Award is presented to an individual who has been a leader in improving early education and who has made a difference in the lives of young children. The Mary Y. Infant-Toddler Educator AWARD$ Plus was also introduced.

Supporting Infant-Toddler Educators: The AWARD$ Program

In October 2018, North Carolina took a groundbreaking step towards recognizing and supporting the invaluable work of Infant-Toddler Educators. The AWARD$ program is a commitment to bridge the compensation gap for dedicated infant-toddler educators.

In 2019, AWARD$ reached recipients in 87 counties, benefiting 1,124 infant-toddler teachers across 591 child care programs.

Policy Priorities and a Focus on Early Childhood Mental Health

Early Years is focusing on five key policy areas, including paid parental leave, infant and early childhood mental health, family support, and economic security. Research shows that nurturing young children from the start sets them up for a lifetime of success.

Navigating the Pandemic: The Early Years COVID-19 Relief Fund

Marsha Basloe, the third president of Early Years, transformed the organization with a “mindset of abundance,” embracing new ideas and taking bold risks, especially during the challenging times of the pandemic.

Financial struggles became an unfortunate reality for many programs, leading Early Years to establish the Early Years COVID-19 Relief Fund to support child care programs in North Carolina. Through two impactful phases, Early Years disbursed $260,000 in grants to 750 child care programs across the state.

Strategic Planning and a Vision for the Future

In 2021, Early Years launched a 3-year strategic plan, envisioning a future where all children have fair access to affordable, high-quality early care and education to lay the foundation for successful life outcomes. The strategic plan lays out the goals Early Years will accomplish within the organization - and externally with our partners and colleagues - to change the early care and education system locally, statewide, and nationally.

Apprenticeship Programs and Skill Development

Apprenticeship programs provide a unique opportunity to support skill development in the high-demand field of early childhood education. Using the structure of an apprenticeship program that includes mentoring support and a comprehensive TEACH Early Childhood scholarship, a participant can gain employment and attend institutions of higher education working toward industry-recognized credentials and degrees.

A New Era of Leadership: Dr. Kristi Snuggs

Early Years selected its fourth president, Dr. Kristi Snuggs, who stepped into the role in 2022. Dr. Snuggs has a deep understanding and a wealth of experience in early childhood education at the local, state and national levels. Under her leadership, “Early Years will continue to fight the fight for a highly educated and well-compensated early care and education workforce,” said Snuggs.

Historical Context: From World War II to Head Start

During World War II, with record numbers of women entering the labor force, the Lanham Act authorized funding to provide child care for children of mothers who were assisting with war efforts, regardless of family income. Thousands of federally subsidized child care centers emerged across the country.

Head Start was established under the Johnson administration to break cycles of poverty within families and promote school readiness, focusing on early childhood education and development, not just child care for working parents.

In 1994, Head Start was reauthorized under the Clinton administration, leading to the creation of Early Head Start, which serves low-income pregnant women, infants, and toddlers up to age 3, serving children from prenatal to age 5.

The Comprehensive Child Development Act: A Missed Opportunity

The Comprehensive Child Development Act, a federal policy, passed both chambers of Congress but was vetoed by President Richard Nixon due to pressure from Republicans who argued that such a move was aligned with communism and that the government should not be raising America’s children.

The Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG)

The Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) is a federal grant that sends money to states to administer at their discretion, allowing states to craft programs that best suit their communities. Families who are eligible for subsidies can enroll with the provider of their choice, as long as that provider accepts child care subsidies as payment.

Despite its success and bipartisan support, the program is underfunded due to the high cost of reaching all families. In 2014, CCDBG was reauthorized with increased health and safety standards.

The Pandemic Response: Public Funding and Stabilization Efforts

During the COVID-19 pandemic, some programs shut down, while others remained open to serve the children of essential workers but had to operate under dramatically different circumstances and constraints.

The government responded with swift and robust public funding for the field, reminiscent of its World War II efforts. The pandemic-era relief packages included the CARES Act, which provided an additional $3.5 billion toward CCDBG, and CRRSA, which awarded an additional $10 billion to CCDBG. The grants helped to stabilize early care and education programs as they rebounded from the pandemic, offering direct-to-provider monthly payments through September 2023.

Innovative State Programs

Several states have implemented innovative programs to support early childhood education. Kentucky, for example, grants early childhood educators automatic eligibility for child care subsidies. In 2021, Michigan began offering “Tri-Share,” a program that allows participating employers to help offset the cost of their employees’ child care expenses, with employers, employees, and the state government each paying one-third of the cost.

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