After funding loss, nonprofit group aims to boost early childhood education

Wood River, Idaho - Idaho AEYC News

Wood River Women’s Foundation teams up with Idaho AEYC to Start the Wood River Early Learning Collaborative.

By Tony Tekaroniake Evans | Idaho Mountain Express

Charitable organizations are stepping up to fill a gap in education funding resulting from political wrangling over early-childhood education in Idaho.

Early Education Advocates and Partners Gather for Early Learning Day at the Capitol

Keri, with the North Idaho Early Learning Collaborative, talking about their program at Early Learning Day at the Idaho State Capitol Building - Idaho AEYC News

On Wednesday, February 23, early education organizations from across the state gathered in the Idaho Statehouse for Early Learning Day, an event organized by the Idaho Association for the Education of Young Children (AEYC), to share the work being done to enhance early childhood education within their communities.

Treasure Valley parents struggling to secure child care amid daycare staffing shortages

child holding teddy bear

Struggling to find affordable child care? You're not alone.

Finding and securing child care in the Treasure Valley is a lot easier said than done. Many parents are on year-long waitlists, in part, due to staffing shortages.

Read the entire article on KIVI Channel 6.

Federal Aid is Propping Up Child Care. It Isn't a Long Term Fix.

Children eating lunch at day care

By Sophie Quinton | Updated January 12, 2022 | Stateline Pew Trusts
Photo:  Elaine Thompson | Associated Press

Federal COVID-19 relief dollars for child care providers will continue to flow through the states this year, cheered by both Republican and Democratic governors who say parents need affordable child care to get back to work. 

Boise explores changes to childcare worker licensing to relieve worker shortage

Children playing together

By Margaret Carmel - BoiseDev Sr Reporter

Boise is hoping to bring a little relief to the struggling childcare industry.

This fall, the city council gave an enthusiastic thumbs up to a series of three proposals to relieve some of the regulatory hoops childcare workers have jump through to get licensed in city limits. These suggestions were proposed by a childcare task force made up of local business leaders, childcare providers and industry experts convened by Mayor Lauren McLean earlier this year.

Lee Pesky Learning Center Receives Funding to Continue Early Childhood Programming

child and woman playing with blocks

Read the entire article on the Idaho Press.

Lee Pesky Learning Center (LPLC) recently received support in the amount of $600,000 from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation to increase high quality childcare through training and coaching early childcare providers using research-based best practices to support whole child development.