• Overview
  • Profiles
    • Federal
    • Newfoundland and Labrador
    • Prince Edward Island
    • Nova Scotia
    • New Brunswick
    • Quebec
    • Ontario
    • Manitoba
    • Saskatchewan
    • Alberta
    • British Columbia
    • Northwest Territories
    • Nunavut
    • Yukon
  • Results & Trends
  • Methodology
  • Previous Reports
    • ECE Report 2017
      • Summary Report 2017
        • Summary Report
        • Attention to Governance
        • More Funding
        • Access
        • Quality
        • Accountability
        • Challenges
        • Acknowledgements
        • Terms Used
      • ECE Report 2017 Results
      • ECE Trends
      • Methodology
        • Methodology
        • Developing the Report
        • The Influence of The OECD and other International Measures
        • The ECE Report Categories
        • Attaining the Benchmarks
          • I. Benchmarks focused on governance for integrated early childhood education
          • II. Benchmarks focused on funding to promote quality, access and equity
          • III. Benchmarks focused on equitable access
          • IV. Benchmarks focusing on quality in the early learning environment
          • V. Benchmarks focused on accountability
        • Next Steps for The Early Childhood Education Report
        • References
      • Federal Profile
      • Provincial/Territorial Profiles
        • Federal
        • Newfoundland and Labrador
        • Prince Edward Island
        • Nova Scotia
        • New Brunswick
        • Quebec
        • Ontario
        • Manitoba
        • Saskatchewan
        • Alberta
        • British Columbia
        • Northwest Territories
        • Nunavut
        • Yukon
      • Charts and Graphs
    • ECE Report 2014
      • Executive Summary
        • The Policy Gap
        • Attention to Governance
        • More Funding
        • More Programming
        • Improved Quality
        • Challenges Remain
        • Access Matters but so Does Quality
        • Funding Methodology Matters
        • The Education/Care Gap
        • Results
      • Early Childhood Education - Full Report
        • Direct Federal Funding to ECE Programs
        • Policy Developments: The Provinces & Territories
          • 1. Governance
          • 3. Access
          • 2. Funding
          • 4. Learning Environments
          • 6. Trends
          • 5. Accountability
        • References
        • Terms used in the Early Childhood Education Report 2014
        • Acknowledgements
      • Provincial/Territorial Profiles
        • Newfoundland and Labrador
        • Prince Edward Island
        • Nova Scotia
        • New Brunswick
        • Quebec
        • Ontario
        • Manitoba
        • Saskatchewan
        • Alberta
        • British Columbia
        • Northwest Territories
      • Methodology
        • Developing the Report
        • The Influence of The OECD and other International Measures
        • The ECE Report 2014 Categories
        • Attaining the Benchmarks
          • I. Benchmarks focused on governance for integrated early childhood education
          • II. Benchmarks focused on funding to promote quality, access and equity
          • III. Benchmarks focused on equitable access
          • IV. Benchmarks focusing on quality in the early learning environment
          • V. Benchmarks focused on accountability
        • Next Steps for The Early Childhood Education Report 2014
        • References
      • About the Authors
      • Questions & Answers
      • Results at a Glance
      • What Others are Saying
      • Presentations & Resources
        • Presentations
        • Videos
        • Press Releases
    • ECE Report 2011 (Early Years Study 3)
      • Introduction: Foundations are Stepping up for Children
        • 1. Getting crazy for the kids
        • 2. Changing the conversation
        • 3. The resources can be found
        • 4. Turning Science into Action
      • Introduction: Mothers and others needed for healthy human development
        • 1. Childhood makes us human
        • 2. Closing the gap between rich and poor
        • Introduction: References
      • Chapter 1: A Smart Start for School and Life
        • 1. Good education cares
        • 2. The child care dilemma
        • 3. The loop in the public debate
        • 4. Starting from education's base
        • 5. One-in-four start out disadvantaged
        • 6. Democracy in trouble
        • 7. Making a difference
        • 8. Paying for inaction
        • 9. Turning chaos into systems
        • 10. Changing populations
        • 11. Changing families
        • Chapter 1: Figures
        • Chapter 1: References
      • Chapter 2: Early Life and Learning, Behaviour and Health
        • 1. Genes and environments
        • 2. Building the brain's architecture
        • 3. Sensory Pathways
        • 4. The limbic system pathways
        • 5. Prefrontal cortex pathways
        • 6. Language pathways
        • 7. Learning, behaviour and health
        • 8. Early adversity and later life
        • 9. Consilience: A new framework of understanding
        • Chapter 2: Figures
        • Chapter 2: References
      • Chapter 3: Creating Spaces and Places for Young Children and Families
        • 1. Celebrating childhood
        • 2. What early childhood education offers children and families
        • 3. Components of quality early childhood education
        • 4. Educators matter
        • 5. Early childhood options for all
        • 6. Challenges to early childhood service integration
        • 7. Benefits of early childhood program integration
        • 8. New thinking for new challenges
        • 9. Influencing policy change
        • Chapter 3: Figures
        • Chapter 3: References
      • Chapter 4: Early Childhood Education as Economic Development
        • 1. Decades of research reveal benefits
        • 2. Canadian cost-benefit analyses
        • 3. Developing community capacity to support children
        • 4. Child care as regional economic development
        • 5. Preschool as economic stimulus
        • 6. Early childhood programming: A no cost solution
        • 7. Wisely investing in early childhood
        • Chapter 4: Figures
        • Chapter 4: References
      • Chapter 5: Public Policy Shapes Early Childhood Programs
        • 1. Federal involvement in ECE policy and programs
        • 2. Direct federal funding to ECE programs
        • 3.1 Policy developments: The provinces and territories - Governance
        • 3.2 Policy developments: The provinces and territories - Funding
        • 3.3 Policy developments: The Provinces and Territories - Access
        • 3.4 Policy developments: The Provinces and Territories - Learning Environments
        • 4. Curriculum
        • 5. Next Steps
        • Chapter 5: Figures
        • Chapter 5: References
      • Chapter 6: Where are we? How Far do we have to go?
        • 1. Improving outcomes for children
        • 2. Three make passing grade
        • Chapter 6: Figures
        • Chapter 6: References
        • Download the Study
      • ECE Report
        • Early Childhood Education Report 2011
        • Developing the Report
        • The influence of the OECD and other international measures
        • The ECDI categories
        • I. Benchmarks focused on governance for integrated early childhood education
        • II. Benchmarks focused on funding to promote quality, access and equity
        • III. Benchmarks focused on equitable access
        • IV. Benchmarks focusing on quality in the early learning environment
        • V. Benchmarks focused on accountability
        • Next Steps for the Early Childhood Education Report 2011
        • Download Report
    • All Studies
  • Workforce Report
  • Resources
    • Acknowledgements
    • Terms & Definitions
    • Charts and Graphs
    • Questions & Answers
    • Videos
    • Media
    • About the Authors
  • Contact
EN | FR
EN | FR
EN | FR
EN | FR
  • Overview
  • Profiles
    • Federal
    • Newfoundland and Labrador
    • Prince Edward Island
    • Nova Scotia
    • New Brunswick
    • Quebec
    • Ontario
    • Manitoba
    • Saskatchewan
    • Alberta
    • British Columbia
    • Northwest Territories
    • Nunavut
    • Yukon
  • Results & Trends
  • Methodology
  • Previous Reports
    • ECE Report 2017
      • Summary Report 2017
        • Summary Report
        • Attention to Governance
        • More Funding
        • Access
        • Quality
        • Accountability
        • Challenges
        • Acknowledgements
        • Terms Used
      • ECE Report 2017 Results
      • ECE Trends
      • Methodology
        • Methodology
        • Developing the Report
        • The Influence of The OECD and other International Measures
        • The ECE Report Categories
        • Attaining the Benchmarks
          • I. Benchmarks focused on governance for integrated early childhood education
          • II. Benchmarks focused on funding to promote quality, access and equity
          • III. Benchmarks focused on equitable access
          • IV. Benchmarks focusing on quality in the early learning environment
          • V. Benchmarks focused on accountability
        • Next Steps for The Early Childhood Education Report
        • References
      • Federal Profile
      • Provincial/Territorial Profiles
        • Federal
        • Newfoundland and Labrador
        • Prince Edward Island
        • Nova Scotia
        • New Brunswick
        • Quebec
        • Ontario
        • Manitoba
        • Saskatchewan
        • Alberta
        • British Columbia
        • Northwest Territories
        • Nunavut
        • Yukon
      • Charts and Graphs
    • ECE Report 2014
      • Executive Summary
        • The Policy Gap
        • Attention to Governance
        • More Funding
        • More Programming
        • Improved Quality
        • Challenges Remain
        • Access Matters but so Does Quality
        • Funding Methodology Matters
        • The Education/Care Gap
        • Results
      • Early Childhood Education - Full Report
        • Direct Federal Funding to ECE Programs
        • Policy Developments: The Provinces & Territories
          • 1. Governance
          • 3. Access
          • 2. Funding
          • 4. Learning Environments
          • 6. Trends
          • 5. Accountability
        • References
        • Terms used in the Early Childhood Education Report 2014
        • Acknowledgements
      • Provincial/Territorial Profiles
        • Newfoundland and Labrador
        • Prince Edward Island
        • Nova Scotia
        • New Brunswick
        • Quebec
        • Ontario
        • Manitoba
        • Saskatchewan
        • Alberta
        • British Columbia
        • Northwest Territories
      • Methodology
        • Developing the Report
        • The Influence of The OECD and other International Measures
        • The ECE Report 2014 Categories
        • Attaining the Benchmarks
          • I. Benchmarks focused on governance for integrated early childhood education
          • II. Benchmarks focused on funding to promote quality, access and equity
          • III. Benchmarks focused on equitable access
          • IV. Benchmarks focusing on quality in the early learning environment
          • V. Benchmarks focused on accountability
        • Next Steps for The Early Childhood Education Report 2014
        • References
      • About the Authors
      • Questions & Answers
      • Results at a Glance
      • What Others are Saying
      • Presentations & Resources
        • Presentations
        • Videos
        • Press Releases
    • ECE Report 2011 (Early Years Study 3)
      • Introduction: Foundations are Stepping up for Children
        • 1. Getting crazy for the kids
        • 2. Changing the conversation
        • 3. The resources can be found
        • 4. Turning Science into Action
      • Introduction: Mothers and others needed for healthy human development
        • 1. Childhood makes us human
        • 2. Closing the gap between rich and poor
        • Introduction: References
      • Chapter 1: A Smart Start for School and Life
        • 1. Good education cares
        • 2. The child care dilemma
        • 3. The loop in the public debate
        • 4. Starting from education's base
        • 5. One-in-four start out disadvantaged
        • 6. Democracy in trouble
        • 7. Making a difference
        • 8. Paying for inaction
        • 9. Turning chaos into systems
        • 10. Changing populations
        • 11. Changing families
        • Chapter 1: Figures
        • Chapter 1: References
      • Chapter 2: Early Life and Learning, Behaviour and Health
        • 1. Genes and environments
        • 2. Building the brain's architecture
        • 3. Sensory Pathways
        • 4. The limbic system pathways
        • 5. Prefrontal cortex pathways
        • 6. Language pathways
        • 7. Learning, behaviour and health
        • 8. Early adversity and later life
        • 9. Consilience: A new framework of understanding
        • Chapter 2: Figures
        • Chapter 2: References
      • Chapter 3: Creating Spaces and Places for Young Children and Families
        • 1. Celebrating childhood
        • 2. What early childhood education offers children and families
        • 3. Components of quality early childhood education
        • 4. Educators matter
        • 5. Early childhood options for all
        • 6. Challenges to early childhood service integration
        • 7. Benefits of early childhood program integration
        • 8. New thinking for new challenges
        • 9. Influencing policy change
        • Chapter 3: Figures
        • Chapter 3: References
      • Chapter 4: Early Childhood Education as Economic Development
        • 1. Decades of research reveal benefits
        • 2. Canadian cost-benefit analyses
        • 3. Developing community capacity to support children
        • 4. Child care as regional economic development
        • 5. Preschool as economic stimulus
        • 6. Early childhood programming: A no cost solution
        • 7. Wisely investing in early childhood
        • Chapter 4: Figures
        • Chapter 4: References
      • Chapter 5: Public Policy Shapes Early Childhood Programs
        • 1. Federal involvement in ECE policy and programs
        • 2. Direct federal funding to ECE programs
        • 3.1 Policy developments: The provinces and territories - Governance
        • 3.2 Policy developments: The provinces and territories - Funding
        • 3.3 Policy developments: The Provinces and Territories - Access
        • 3.4 Policy developments: The Provinces and Territories - Learning Environments
        • 4. Curriculum
        • 5. Next Steps
        • Chapter 5: Figures
        • Chapter 5: References
      • Chapter 6: Where are we? How Far do we have to go?
        • 1. Improving outcomes for children
        • 2. Three make passing grade
        • Chapter 6: Figures
        • Chapter 6: References
        • Download the Study
      • ECE Report
        • Early Childhood Education Report 2011
        • Developing the Report
        • The influence of the OECD and other international measures
        • The ECDI categories
        • I. Benchmarks focused on governance for integrated early childhood education
        • II. Benchmarks focused on funding to promote quality, access and equity
        • III. Benchmarks focused on equitable access
        • IV. Benchmarks focusing on quality in the early learning environment
        • V. Benchmarks focused on accountability
        • Next Steps for the Early Childhood Education Report 2011
        • Download Report
    • All Studies
  • Workforce Report
  • Resources
    • Acknowledgements
    • Terms & Definitions
    • Charts and Graphs
    • Questions & Answers
    • Videos
    • Media
    • About the Authors
  • Contact
  • Overview
  • Profiles
    • Federal
    • Newfoundland and Labrador
    • Prince Edward Island
    • Nova Scotia
    • New Brunswick
    • Quebec
    • Ontario
    • Manitoba
    • Saskatchewan
    • Alberta
    • British Columbia
    • Northwest Territories
    • Nunavut
    • Yukon
  • Results & Trends
  • Methodology
  • Previous Reports
    • ECE Report 2017
      • Summary Report 2017
        • Summary Report
        • Attention to Governance
        • More Funding
        • Access
        • Quality
        • Accountability
        • Challenges
        • Acknowledgements
        • Terms Used
      • ECE Report 2017 Results
      • ECE Trends
      • Methodology
        • Methodology
        • Developing the Report
        • The Influence of The OECD and other International Measures
        • The ECE Report Categories
        • Attaining the Benchmarks
          • I. Benchmarks focused on governance for integrated early childhood education
          • II. Benchmarks focused on funding to promote quality, access and equity
          • III. Benchmarks focused on equitable access
          • IV. Benchmarks focusing on quality in the early learning environment
          • V. Benchmarks focused on accountability
        • Next Steps for The Early Childhood Education Report
        • References
      • Federal Profile
      • Provincial/Territorial Profiles
        • Federal
        • Newfoundland and Labrador
        • Prince Edward Island
        • Nova Scotia
        • New Brunswick
        • Quebec
        • Ontario
        • Manitoba
        • Saskatchewan
        • Alberta
        • British Columbia
        • Northwest Territories
        • Nunavut
        • Yukon
      • Charts and Graphs
    • ECE Report 2014
      • Executive Summary
        • The Policy Gap
        • Attention to Governance
        • More Funding
        • More Programming
        • Improved Quality
        • Challenges Remain
        • Access Matters but so Does Quality
        • Funding Methodology Matters
        • The Education/Care Gap
        • Results
      • Early Childhood Education - Full Report
        • Direct Federal Funding to ECE Programs
        • Policy Developments: The Provinces & Territories
          • 1. Governance
          • 3. Access
          • 2. Funding
          • 4. Learning Environments
          • 6. Trends
          • 5. Accountability
        • References
        • Terms used in the Early Childhood Education Report 2014
        • Acknowledgements
      • Provincial/Territorial Profiles
        • Newfoundland and Labrador
        • Prince Edward Island
        • Nova Scotia
        • New Brunswick
        • Quebec
        • Ontario
        • Manitoba
        • Saskatchewan
        • Alberta
        • British Columbia
        • Northwest Territories
      • Methodology
        • Developing the Report
        • The Influence of The OECD and other International Measures
        • The ECE Report 2014 Categories
        • Attaining the Benchmarks
          • I. Benchmarks focused on governance for integrated early childhood education
          • II. Benchmarks focused on funding to promote quality, access and equity
          • III. Benchmarks focused on equitable access
          • IV. Benchmarks focusing on quality in the early learning environment
          • V. Benchmarks focused on accountability
        • Next Steps for The Early Childhood Education Report 2014
        • References
      • About the Authors
      • Questions & Answers
      • Results at a Glance
      • What Others are Saying
      • Presentations & Resources
        • Presentations
        • Videos
        • Press Releases
    • ECE Report 2011 (Early Years Study 3)
      • Introduction: Foundations are Stepping up for Children
        • 1. Getting crazy for the kids
        • 2. Changing the conversation
        • 3. The resources can be found
        • 4. Turning Science into Action
      • Introduction: Mothers and others needed for healthy human development
        • 1. Childhood makes us human
        • 2. Closing the gap between rich and poor
        • Introduction: References
      • Chapter 1: A Smart Start for School and Life
        • 1. Good education cares
        • 2. The child care dilemma
        • 3. The loop in the public debate
        • 4. Starting from education's base
        • 5. One-in-four start out disadvantaged
        • 6. Democracy in trouble
        • 7. Making a difference
        • 8. Paying for inaction
        • 9. Turning chaos into systems
        • 10. Changing populations
        • 11. Changing families
        • Chapter 1: Figures
        • Chapter 1: References
      • Chapter 2: Early Life and Learning, Behaviour and Health
        • 1. Genes and environments
        • 2. Building the brain's architecture
        • 3. Sensory Pathways
        • 4. The limbic system pathways
        • 5. Prefrontal cortex pathways
        • 6. Language pathways
        • 7. Learning, behaviour and health
        • 8. Early adversity and later life
        • 9. Consilience: A new framework of understanding
        • Chapter 2: Figures
        • Chapter 2: References
      • Chapter 3: Creating Spaces and Places for Young Children and Families
        • 1. Celebrating childhood
        • 2. What early childhood education offers children and families
        • 3. Components of quality early childhood education
        • 4. Educators matter
        • 5. Early childhood options for all
        • 6. Challenges to early childhood service integration
        • 7. Benefits of early childhood program integration
        • 8. New thinking for new challenges
        • 9. Influencing policy change
        • Chapter 3: Figures
        • Chapter 3: References
      • Chapter 4: Early Childhood Education as Economic Development
        • 1. Decades of research reveal benefits
        • 2. Canadian cost-benefit analyses
        • 3. Developing community capacity to support children
        • 4. Child care as regional economic development
        • 5. Preschool as economic stimulus
        • 6. Early childhood programming: A no cost solution
        • 7. Wisely investing in early childhood
        • Chapter 4: Figures
        • Chapter 4: References
      • Chapter 5: Public Policy Shapes Early Childhood Programs
        • 1. Federal involvement in ECE policy and programs
        • 2. Direct federal funding to ECE programs
        • 3.1 Policy developments: The provinces and territories - Governance
        • 3.2 Policy developments: The provinces and territories - Funding
        • 3.3 Policy developments: The Provinces and Territories - Access
        • 3.4 Policy developments: The Provinces and Territories - Learning Environments
        • 4. Curriculum
        • 5. Next Steps
        • Chapter 5: Figures
        • Chapter 5: References
      • Chapter 6: Where are we? How Far do we have to go?
        • 1. Improving outcomes for children
        • 2. Three make passing grade
        • Chapter 6: Figures
        • Chapter 6: References
        • Download the Study
      • ECE Report
        • Early Childhood Education Report 2011
        • Developing the Report
        • The influence of the OECD and other international measures
        • The ECDI categories
        • I. Benchmarks focused on governance for integrated early childhood education
        • II. Benchmarks focused on funding to promote quality, access and equity
        • III. Benchmarks focused on equitable access
        • IV. Benchmarks focusing on quality in the early learning environment
        • V. Benchmarks focused on accountability
        • Next Steps for the Early Childhood Education Report 2011
        • Download Report
    • All Studies
  • Workforce Report
  • Resources
    • Acknowledgements
    • Terms & Definitions
    • Charts and Graphs
    • Questions & Answers
    • Videos
    • Media
    • About the Authors
  • Contact
  • Overview
  • Profiles
    • Federal
    • Newfoundland and Labrador
    • Prince Edward Island
    • Nova Scotia
    • New Brunswick
    • Quebec
    • Ontario
    • Manitoba
    • Saskatchewan
    • Alberta
    • British Columbia
    • Northwest Territories
    • Nunavut
    • Yukon
  • Results & Trends
  • Methodology
  • Previous Reports
    • ECE Report 2017
      • Summary Report 2017
        • Summary Report
        • Attention to Governance
        • More Funding
        • Access
        • Quality
        • Accountability
        • Challenges
        • Acknowledgements
        • Terms Used
      • ECE Report 2017 Results
      • ECE Trends
      • Methodology
        • Methodology
        • Developing the Report
        • The Influence of The OECD and other International Measures
        • The ECE Report Categories
        • Attaining the Benchmarks
          • I. Benchmarks focused on governance for integrated early childhood education
          • II. Benchmarks focused on funding to promote quality, access and equity
          • III. Benchmarks focused on equitable access
          • IV. Benchmarks focusing on quality in the early learning environment
          • V. Benchmarks focused on accountability
        • Next Steps for The Early Childhood Education Report
        • References
      • Federal Profile
      • Provincial/Territorial Profiles
        • Federal
        • Newfoundland and Labrador
        • Prince Edward Island
        • Nova Scotia
        • New Brunswick
        • Quebec
        • Ontario
        • Manitoba
        • Saskatchewan
        • Alberta
        • British Columbia
        • Northwest Territories
        • Nunavut
        • Yukon
      • Charts and Graphs
    • ECE Report 2014
      • Executive Summary
        • The Policy Gap
        • Attention to Governance
        • More Funding
        • More Programming
        • Improved Quality
        • Challenges Remain
        • Access Matters but so Does Quality
        • Funding Methodology Matters
        • The Education/Care Gap
        • Results
      • Early Childhood Education - Full Report
        • Direct Federal Funding to ECE Programs
        • Policy Developments: The Provinces & Territories
          • 1. Governance
          • 3. Access
          • 2. Funding
          • 4. Learning Environments
          • 6. Trends
          • 5. Accountability
        • References
        • Terms used in the Early Childhood Education Report 2014
        • Acknowledgements
      • Provincial/Territorial Profiles
        • Newfoundland and Labrador
        • Prince Edward Island
        • Nova Scotia
        • New Brunswick
        • Quebec
        • Ontario
        • Manitoba
        • Saskatchewan
        • Alberta
        • British Columbia
        • Northwest Territories
      • Methodology
        • Developing the Report
        • The Influence of The OECD and other International Measures
        • The ECE Report 2014 Categories
        • Attaining the Benchmarks
          • I. Benchmarks focused on governance for integrated early childhood education
          • II. Benchmarks focused on funding to promote quality, access and equity
          • III. Benchmarks focused on equitable access
          • IV. Benchmarks focusing on quality in the early learning environment
          • V. Benchmarks focused on accountability
        • Next Steps for The Early Childhood Education Report 2014
        • References
      • About the Authors
      • Questions & Answers
      • Results at a Glance
      • What Others are Saying
      • Presentations & Resources
        • Presentations
        • Videos
        • Press Releases
    • ECE Report 2011 (Early Years Study 3)
      • Introduction: Foundations are Stepping up for Children
        • 1. Getting crazy for the kids
        • 2. Changing the conversation
        • 3. The resources can be found
        • 4. Turning Science into Action
      • Introduction: Mothers and others needed for healthy human development
        • 1. Childhood makes us human
        • 2. Closing the gap between rich and poor
        • Introduction: References
      • Chapter 1: A Smart Start for School and Life
        • 1. Good education cares
        • 2. The child care dilemma
        • 3. The loop in the public debate
        • 4. Starting from education's base
        • 5. One-in-four start out disadvantaged
        • 6. Democracy in trouble
        • 7. Making a difference
        • 8. Paying for inaction
        • 9. Turning chaos into systems
        • 10. Changing populations
        • 11. Changing families
        • Chapter 1: Figures
        • Chapter 1: References
      • Chapter 2: Early Life and Learning, Behaviour and Health
        • 1. Genes and environments
        • 2. Building the brain's architecture
        • 3. Sensory Pathways
        • 4. The limbic system pathways
        • 5. Prefrontal cortex pathways
        • 6. Language pathways
        • 7. Learning, behaviour and health
        • 8. Early adversity and later life
        • 9. Consilience: A new framework of understanding
        • Chapter 2: Figures
        • Chapter 2: References
      • Chapter 3: Creating Spaces and Places for Young Children and Families
        • 1. Celebrating childhood
        • 2. What early childhood education offers children and families
        • 3. Components of quality early childhood education
        • 4. Educators matter
        • 5. Early childhood options for all
        • 6. Challenges to early childhood service integration
        • 7. Benefits of early childhood program integration
        • 8. New thinking for new challenges
        • 9. Influencing policy change
        • Chapter 3: Figures
        • Chapter 3: References
      • Chapter 4: Early Childhood Education as Economic Development
        • 1. Decades of research reveal benefits
        • 2. Canadian cost-benefit analyses
        • 3. Developing community capacity to support children
        • 4. Child care as regional economic development
        • 5. Preschool as economic stimulus
        • 6. Early childhood programming: A no cost solution
        • 7. Wisely investing in early childhood
        • Chapter 4: Figures
        • Chapter 4: References
      • Chapter 5: Public Policy Shapes Early Childhood Programs
        • 1. Federal involvement in ECE policy and programs
        • 2. Direct federal funding to ECE programs
        • 3.1 Policy developments: The provinces and territories - Governance
        • 3.2 Policy developments: The provinces and territories - Funding
        • 3.3 Policy developments: The Provinces and Territories - Access
        • 3.4 Policy developments: The Provinces and Territories - Learning Environments
        • 4. Curriculum
        • 5. Next Steps
        • Chapter 5: Figures
        • Chapter 5: References
      • Chapter 6: Where are we? How Far do we have to go?
        • 1. Improving outcomes for children
        • 2. Three make passing grade
        • Chapter 6: Figures
        • Chapter 6: References
        • Download the Study
      • ECE Report
        • Early Childhood Education Report 2011
        • Developing the Report
        • The influence of the OECD and other international measures
        • The ECDI categories
        • I. Benchmarks focused on governance for integrated early childhood education
        • II. Benchmarks focused on funding to promote quality, access and equity
        • III. Benchmarks focused on equitable access
        • IV. Benchmarks focusing on quality in the early learning environment
        • V. Benchmarks focused on accountability
        • Next Steps for the Early Childhood Education Report 2011
        • Download Report
    • All Studies
  • Workforce Report
  • Resources
    • Acknowledgements
    • Terms & Definitions
    • Charts and Graphs
    • Questions & Answers
    • Videos
    • Media
    • About the Authors
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5. One-in-four start out disadvantaged

Yet many believe that families are managing fine without this type of program, and are concerned about who will pay for it. Not all children are managing. Most provinces determine children’s readiness for school learning during kindergarten using the Early Development Instrument (EDI). Kindergarten teachers use the EDI to assess children on scales related to their social, emotional, cognitive and physical development. Country-wide data shows that more than one in four children arrive at kindergarten with vulnerabilities that make them more likely to fail in school.25 Children who have trouble coping in kindergarten are less likely to graduate from high school or go on to post-secondary education. As adults they are more likely to fail in their personal relationships and have difficulties finding steady work. They are also more likely to become sick, addicted or depressed. Poverty increases children’s chances of delayed development, but it is not the only factor. Most vulnerable kids do not dwell in poverty; they live in middle-and upper-income households and neighbourhoods.26

Researchers and policy makers often argue that public investment in early childhood education should be reserved for children from disadvantaged homes. The problem is that programs for poor people become poor programs. A recent study found that early learning classrooms comprised of about 60 percent of children from low-income homes were rated significantly lower in quality indicators of teaching, teacher–child interaction and provisions for learning than classrooms with fewer low-income children.27

Conversely, a British study found that children from poor families who went to preschool with middle class children did better than those who were educated in social and economic isolation.28 The same result was found in a study of Georgia’s universal preschool program. On reading and math tests, poor children did best in socially mixed classes.29 Poor children face a string of disadvantages that middle class children may not confront, but there is still room for concern. The learning gap between middle income children and those born to the wealthy is just as big as the gap that separates low-income children from the middle class. Middle class children, particularly boys,30 drop out of school at alarming rates and with lifelong consequences.31 In addition, income does not inoculate children against learning disabilities or less than ideal home lives.

Why are so many children, even those in well-off families, facing such limited opportunities? Because, for the first time in modern history, the old are taking wealth and opportunity away from the young. “Canadians sit idly, ignoring that young families have household incomes that are little better than four decades ago; all the while housing, the primary source of wealth for Boomers today, is the primary source of debt for the Squeeze Generation,” writes Paul Kershaw of the University of British Columbia in the Vancouver Sun. He coined the moniker to describe this generation of families with children who are working more, caring more and getting less.32 Just having children puts couples at a 40 percent risk of poverty. Lone-parents have a one in two chance of being poor.

Children make good political props; no campaign exists without a handful of healthy and diverse child models gracing its platform. Yet children are absent from public priorities. Health care, which overwhelmingly benefits seniors, sucks up an increasing portion of social spending. Meanwhile the Boomers—the wealthiest cohort of all—clamour for tax cuts, giving away governments’ capacity to help their children and grandchildren. Social transfers traditionally used to curb the excesses of the market now exacerbate the problem. Health care pays out five times more to a senior than to a child.33 Over the past three decades, the share of overall social spending on children has declined, while seniors have enjoyed continuous increases for their programs.34

Figure 1.9

Next: 6. Democracy in trouble

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

    • Introduction: Foundations are Stepping up for Children
      • 1. Getting crazy for the kids
      • 2. Changing the conversation
      • 3. The resources can be found
      • 4. Turning Science into Action
    • Introduction: Mothers and others needed for healthy human development
      • 1. Childhood makes us human
      • 2. Closing the gap between rich and poor
      • Introduction: References
    • Chapter 1: A Smart Start for School and Life
      • 1. Good education cares
      • 2. The child care dilemma
      • 3. The loop in the public debate
      • 4. Starting from education's base
      • 5. One-in-four start out disadvantaged
      • 6. Democracy in trouble
      • 7. Making a difference
      • 8. Paying for inaction
      • 9. Turning chaos into systems
      • 10. Changing populations
      • 11. Changing families
      • Chapter 1: Figures
      • Chapter 1: References
    • Chapter 2: Early Life and Learning, Behaviour and Health
      • 1. Genes and environments
      • 2. Building the brain's architecture
      • 3. Sensory Pathways
      • 4. The limbic system pathways
      • 5. Prefrontal cortex pathways
      • 6. Language pathways
      • 7. Learning, behaviour and health
      • 8. Early adversity and later life
      • 9. Consilience: A new framework of understanding
      • Chapter 2: Figures
      • Chapter 2: References
    • Chapter 3: Creating Spaces and Places for Young Children and Families
      • 1. Celebrating childhood
      • 2. What early childhood education offers children and families
      • 3. Components of quality early childhood education
      • 4. Educators matter
      • 5. Early childhood options for all
      • 6. Challenges to early childhood service integration
      • 7. Benefits of early childhood program integration
      • 8. New thinking for new challenges
      • 9. Influencing policy change
      • Chapter 3: Figures
      • Chapter 3: References
    • Chapter 4: Early Childhood Education as Economic Development
      • 1. Decades of research reveal benefits
      • 2. Canadian cost-benefit analyses
      • 3. Developing community capacity to support children
      • 4. Child care as regional economic development
      • 5. Preschool as economic stimulus
      • 6. Early childhood programming: A no cost solution
      • 7. Wisely investing in early childhood
      • Chapter 4: Figures
      • Chapter 4: References
    • Chapter 5: Public Policy Shapes Early Childhood Programs
      • 1. Federal involvement in ECE policy and programs
      • 2. Direct federal funding to ECE programs
      • 3.1 Policy developments: The provinces and territories - Governance
      • 3.2 Policy developments: The provinces and territories - Funding
      • 3.3 Policy developments: The Provinces and Territories - Access
      • 3.4 Policy developments: The Provinces and Territories - Learning Environments
      • 4. Curriculum
      • 5. Next Steps
      • Chapter 5: Figures
      • Chapter 5: References
    • Chapter 6: Where are we? How Far do we have to go?
      • 1. Improving outcomes for children
      • 2. Three make passing grade
      • Chapter 6: Figures
      • Chapter 6: References
      • Download the Study
    • ECE Report
      • Early Childhood Education Report 2011
      • Developing the Report
      • The influence of the OECD and other international measures
      • The ECDI categories
      • I. Benchmarks focused on governance for integrated early childhood education
      • II. Benchmarks focused on funding to promote quality, access and equity
      • III. Benchmarks focused on equitable access
      • IV. Benchmarks focusing on quality in the early learning environment
      • V. Benchmarks focused on accountability
      • Next Steps for the Early Childhood Education Report 2011
      • Download Report

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