The nation is abuzz with consideration of prekindergarten programs for all children. To better understand the issues involved, funding and staffing considerations as well as policy option, this book is a must read. In this timely book, Matia Finn-Stevenson and Edward Zigler argue that the federal government alone cannot address the need for child c

The nation is abuzz with consideration of prekindergarten programs for all children. To better understand the issues involved, funding and staffing considerations as well as policy option, this book is a must read. In this timely book, Matia Finn-Stevenson and Edward Zigler argue that the federal government alone cannot address the need for child care and family support services that, like education, should be addressed locally. The authors use their Schools of the 21st Century (21C) program as an example of how schools can provide child care, outreach services, home visitations, and health and nutrition services--in addition to reading, writing, and arithmetic.Conceptualized in 1987 in response to the child care crisis in this country, 21C has been implemented in over 600 schools in seventeen states. However, schools' involvement with increasingly younger children is not without controversy. The authors also address questions regarding evaluation and effective implementation and scale-up strategies, and consider what changes in teacher training programs should occur to prepare teachers for working in schools of the twenty-first century; what provisions should be made to accommodate for the need to staff schools with personnel trained in early child development; and what changes need to be made in the financial structures of schools to accommodate child care and support services.Whereas Part Two of the book discusses the authors' Schools of the 21st Century program in considerable detail, Parts One and Three address a broader range of issues concerning the effects that prekindergarten education has on later school success and the various policy and conceptual approaches that have been tried, both nationally and internationally. Finn-Stevenson and Zigler also critically review the research on the effects of child care on children and other school reform initiatives that have been implemented in schools."Schools of the 21st Century" is an engaging discussion about the new roles schools are taking and how they are expanding their traditional mission.

Recommendations for infant and toddler care and development based on current brain research and its implications How much do children's early experiences affect their cognitive and social development? How important is the parent's role in child development? Is it possible to ameliorate or reverse the consequences of early developmental deficits? This vitally important book draws on the latest research from the social sciences and studies on the brain to answer these questions and to explore what they mean for social policy and child and family development. The authors affirm that sound social policy providing for safe and appropriate early care, education, health care, and parent support is critical not only for the optimal development of children, but also for strengthening families, communities, and the nation as a whole. Offering a wealth of advice and recommendations, they explain: * the benefits of family leave, child care, and home visitation programs; * the damage that child abuse inflicts; * the vital importance of nutrition (and breast feeding) for pregnant women and young children; * the adverse effects that occur in misguided efforts to disseminate research too early; * and more. Written by experts in the field of early child development, care, and education, the book is essential reading for parents and policymakers alike.