News from First Five Nebraska
 March 2016
 

 

Our vision is that all Nebraska children begin kindergarten with the experience they need to become successful students and productive citizens.  

 



Our nation's new education law, the  Every Student Succeeds Act, was signed into law at the end of last year. The measure, which replaces the No Child Left Behind Act, seeks to improve opportuni- ties and outcomes for students.

O



ReadAloud  experts tell us that only 48% of young children are read to each day.

Reading with a child just 15 minutes daily from birth facilitates development of language and literacy skills, instills a love of reading and builds warm bonds between parents and children. 

Quick Links
  • Zero to Three: Matching and sorting objects by shape, size or color encourages early math skills in babies and toddlers. 
  • March's theme for Zero to Three's A Year of Play is Rain. Here are songs, books and activities for exploring rain and weather with babies and toddlers.


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LB889 Amendment Focuses 
on Quality, Early Childhood Workforce

LB889, with AM2490, will help close the achievement gap in Nebraska at the time it's most effective and least expensive to do so.

Introduced by Appropriations Committee chair Senator Heath Mello, LB889 provides a nonrefundable tax credit for early childhood programs that serve children at risk and who have demonstrated they provide the level of quality that closes the achievement gap. The amendment also provides a refundable tax credit for early childhood educators in those programs.

AM2490 ensures the tax credits go to programs participating in Step Up to Quality and serving children at risk who otherwise would need significant resources during their K-12 years. The more we can develop policies that close the achievement gap prior to kindergarten, the less Nebraska will need to rely on state and local funds for remediation in K-12.

The amendment caps the combined total of the two tax credits at $5 million a year and includes a five-year sunset clause. The Legislative Fiscal Office estimates the cost of the tax credits will be $3 million for the 2017-2019 biennium.     

LB889 with AM2490 was voted out of the Legislature's Revenue Committee with unanimous support and is on General File. It is scheduled for debate by the full legislative body on Tuesday, March 29. 


 

Babies' brains are not little sponges waiting for someone to pour information into them. They are built during the earliest years through very specific kinds of interactions. 


 Learn more about brain development:
  • The Science of Brain Development: Strong relationships with caring adults during a baby's earliest years help build a solid neural foundation to support a lifetime of learning.
  • Dr. Hutton, ReadAloud: Reading to a child can change the brain during the critical stage of development prior to kindergarten


Home child care providers, child care centers, Head Start programs, school-based preschools,faith-based programs and others all have a place in ensuring that children have access to quality opportunities in their earliest years. 
 

Research has shown us the importance of reading to children from birth. Young children who are read to regularly have a larger vocabulary, which is a strong predictor of success in school. And regular reading time with a parent or caregiver helps form the bonds that bolster social-emotional growth, which is key to a child's overall development.