Start with Equity: 14 Priorities to Dismantle Systemic Racism in Early Care and Education

Grave inequities have long pervaded the education system and affect the lives of millions of children from historically marginalized communities.  These inequities begin before birth and follow children into the early care and education (ECE) system, one of the first systems with which they interact. The tragic fact remains true in this country:  children’s outcomes are predicted by their demographic characteristics, the color of their skin, their family’s income bracket, and their home  language.

Start with Equity: 14 Priorities to Dismantle Systemic Racism in Early Care and Education outlines 14 critical priorities and actionable policies that Congress, federal agencies, states and tribes can immediately and concretely utilize to advance equity in the early care and education system.  Published by the Children’s Equity Project,  funded by the Heising Simons Foundation, and in partnership with national early childhood leaders and advocates*, this work builds on a comprehensive report released by the Children’s Equity Project and the Bipartisan Policy Center in July 2020: Start with Equity: From the Early Years to the Early Grades.
The report presents a bold coordinated policy agenda to help us build stronger, more equitable systems for all children.  Importantly, the reforms presented are key strategies that are possible within the confines of our current systems. They are actions we can collectively take today to ensure more equitable systems tomorrow. Implementing these actions now, does not preclude us from concurrently reimagining what a new system could look like in the future, a partner and critically important task.
Find an overview, full report, PowerPoint, and the related December 16th webinar recording here.
*Report Partners include: Equity Research Action Coalition at the UNC Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute, the National Black Child Development Institute, the Council for Professional Recognition, the National Indian Child Care Association, the National Head Start Association, the National Association for the Education of Young Children, The Education Trust, and the BUILD Initiative.