Finding Quality Child Care in America Is Hard. Muslim Educators Are Expanding Options

Batibot Early Learning Center is a progressive daycare center that offers “socialized tuition” based on what families earn, making it easier for lower-income children to access early childhood education. The center enrolls 25 children and prioritizes hands-on support and therapy for children with developmental delays.

In partnership with other local organizations and advocacy groups, Communities for Kids trains providers to offer Spanish-language childcare, as the state lacks sufficient access to culturally responsive, bilingual care. The training is free and has already licensed several individuals who now run their own Spanish-speaking childcare centers.

The Colorado Department of Early Childhood’s bilingual support team helps guide Spanish-speaking residents through the process of applying for a child care license, providing resources and training materials in applicants’ native language. The team is currently working with 69 professionals who are already licensed as well as 25 Spanish speakers in the midst of the application process.

Mounting evidence points to an increasing disparity in the educational achievements of those children who attend and complete pre-school, and those who do not. The Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY) program is a national home visiting initiative for low-income families that is working to bridge the gap. They provide learning curriculum, guidance, and parenting support for disadvantaged families in their homes, so that their children can be equally prepared to succeed in school.

Although Silicon Valley is full of high-end preschool options, the surrounding low-income areas have been deemed child care deserts, with most families resorting to informal care options. Educare, a model that has spread to 14 states, is trying to change that. Serving as both a preschool and a community gathering center and funded largely by public preschool funds, Educare brings play-based preschool to local students so they can enter kindergarten on a level playing field with their wealthier peers.

Two years after his election, the mayor of New York created a universal preschool program. In Boston, progress has been much slower.

Through programs across the country, nurses, social workers, or trained mentors offer support to new or expectant parents, imparting skills to help them become better teachers for their children. Through regular home visits with the families, these programs are working to close an achievement gap between rich and poor children that starts as early as just nine months into a child's life.

Norway’s approach to early childcare, rooted in its Kindergarten Act, prioritizes inclusivity and the value of childhood and unstructured play, where children receive social, emotional and cognitive support. Evidence suggests long-term positive impacts, including improved academic and workforce outcomes when they reach adulthood. Investments in the country’s unique approach to childcare and kindergarten contribute to Norway's top global rankings in child well-being compared to other countries like the U.S.

The Wisdom Hub Nursery and Primary School enrolls students alongside those who are differently-abled, allowing them to learn in the classroom together. The combined classroom approach teaches students to embrace diversity, nurturing an inclusive educational environment where each child can thrive. The Wisdom Hub opened in 2013 and has since seen over 300 children with special needs cross into secondary school.

GUIARE, an organization that trains teachers in Costa Rica, began donating libraries to preschool classrooms in 2019. It has since connected more than 800 children with nearly 8,000 books and inspired schools to launch new reading-related programs and events.