Public Good Statement

The pandemic of 2020 has shined a bright light on the inequities that have long existed in this country. Most pointedly, the disparities in access to health care and educational opportunities that lead to economic prosperity were laid bare. As we begin to defeat the coronavirus and return to work, the critical role that the availability of quality child care will play in our country’s return to work cannot be overstated. As such, early education and care must be recognized as a public good.

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Although historically the importance of early learning during child care has been overlooked, its significance has recently been heralded, particularly here in the District of Columbia. Similar to traditional public schools and public charter schools, Early Care and Education must be viewed as part of the public good. After the defeat of the coronavirus, the return to a fully functioning economy presents an opportunity to reassess, rethink, and reimagine early care and education’s contribution to the overall economic well-being of the national economy.

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Since the Massachusetts Bay Colony’s General School Act of 1647, it has been widely agreed and accepted that public education is a part of the public good. It contributes to the overall cohesion and coherence of a community’s moral fiber by enabling all of its children to reach their full potential. This, in turn, allows them to become informed and engaged citizens as well as productive contributors to the economic vitality of the community. The enactment of the School Act was a response to the existing hodgepodge of institutional arrangements in support of education—very similar to the District of Columbia’s (the “District”) fragmented system today.

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Currently, in the District, early education and care programs and services are provided by Community-Based Organizations (“CBOs”), traditional public schools, and public charter schools—all of which fall under the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (“OSSE”). One example of the District’s “hodgepodge” approach to early education and care surfaced during the pandemic. CBOs, as well as public and charter schools, must meet the same eligibility requirements to qualify for Pre-K Enhancement and Expansion Funding (D.C. Code § 38-271.06) and Pre-K enhancement and expansion program assistance grants (D.C. Code § 38-272.04) and are compensated on the same per-student basis.

 

According to D.C. Code § 38-271.01(1c), a “Community-based organization” or “CBO” is defined as a Head Start or early childhood education program operated by a nonprofit entity, faith-based organization, or other entity that participates in federally funded early childhood programs. Yet, OSSE designates only public schools and public charter schools as Local Education Agencies (“LEAs”), excluding CBOs from this designation. This lack of LEA designation has been used by OSSE to justify denying CBOs reimbursement for virtual learning during the pandemic while allowing public schools and public charter schools to be reimbursed. Such arbitrary designations confer no benefit and only serve to disadvantage those who choose to enroll their children in CBOs instead of public or charter schools.