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Yahoo
5 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
70% of Mass. infants live in child care deserts, according to state data
A family child care center run by Martha Conlon of Dedham, Mass. (Courtesy Neighbor Schools) The vast majority of infants and a plurality of toddlers in Massachusetts live in child care deserts, new state data show. Despite the recent increases in early education system capacity, sizeable gaps remain between available seats and the overall number of children, and program capacity falls short for tens of thousands of young children in each early education age group across the state. Around 59,000 (70%) of infants, around 43,000 (43%) of toddlers, and around 10,000 (5%) of preschoolers in Massachusetts live in an access desert. The state defines this as areas where for every three children there is only one child care slot, though there are regions particularly in central Massachusetts where the ratio is greater than 10 children to one slot. Enrollment differences between regions, student age groups, and income levels paint a picture of a system struggling to meet potential demand and that is most available to those at the highest income brackets. 'We know the need is considerable, so we know that growth is good, but it doesn't tell us whether or not that growth is particularly responsive to where child and family need is perhaps strongest and greatest,' Tom Weber, executive director of the Massachusetts Business Coalition for Early Childhood Education, said at a recent meeting focused on improving early education data practices. 'Or is it in fact responsive to other environmental factors, like the rules and policies that we put in place or where we have decided presently to concentrate our public funding?' The data was presented at the second meeting of the Data Advisory Commission on Early Education and Care, an entity created in the state budget signed in July 2024 to better understand the gaps in the child care landscape. Comprised of state, education, and business leaders, the commission's goal is to improve the quality of data collection on child care needs, figure out how best to use it, and make sure the public has access to it. Coming out of the peak of the Covid pandemic, which shuttered centers and placed much of the child care burden on parents juggling remote or essential in-person work, enrollment and capacity have been on the rise, researchers with the Department of Early Education and Care noted. Over the last two years, the early education and care system has added about 17,000 new seats, bringing the total capacity of licensed center-based care, licensed family child care, and state-funded programs to 259,744. Care options for infants and toddlers have the fewest overall seats compared to other age groups, but their capacity has risen the most – 5% over the last year compared with 3 percent growth for preschoolers and 1 percent growth for school-age children. While all regions of the state have seen increased capacity since 2023, the rate of growth slowed in central and southeast Massachusetts over the past year – regions already struggling with accessible child care. Enrollment in formal care for newborns to five-year-olds peaks at 56% in the Boston area and northeast Massachusetts, with the least (48 and 47%) in central and southeast Massachusetts, respectively. In families earning less than half of the average median income, 51% of children are enrolled in formal care. That drops to between 37 and 35% for families making half to 100% of the standard income, and spikes to 66% at the highest wage brackets of more than 150% of the standard income. 'We see the highest enrollment rates or those who have higher financial resources,' said Michelle Saulnier, a data analyst at the early education department. 'This is an opportunity for us to maybe conclude that those who are in the higher income bracket may be a closer measure to parent preference and demand for enrollment in formal care,' she said. Essentially, the families with the most resources are enrolling about two-thirds of their children in formal care, which can give education researchers clues about how many children may need spots to meet true demand. Research published last year from Professor Jeffrey Liebman at the Harvard Kennedy School found that 80 percent of families surveyed who were not currently using formal care would use it if they could afford it. Plus, 70 percent of those currently using it would use more hours if it were more affordable. We see the highest enrollment rates or those who have higher financial resources. – Michelle Saulnier, data analyst at the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care Ashley White, research director for the early education department, noted that the state collects information on child age, care type, and region for those using child care financial assistance programs. But there are still holes in data on family income, race and ethnicity, country of origin, disability status, and household language. Improvements to systematically collecting that information would bolster the data sets, White said. The department does not currently collect data on early intervention for developmental delays, though partner groups and sister agencies focused on these interventions have some relevant data that the early education department can aggregate. There are similar data gaps for families on wait lists for licensed programs, making it hard to gauge the demand for the different types of child care and where it would make sense to add seats. Across the state, data on children and families is generally limited to those accessing care funded through the Commonwealth Cares for Children (C3) grant program that supports child care providers, so White said there is a need to 'think creatively' about how best to gather information on education and care needs outside of the C3 program. The state is also reimagining the family portal and case management system for child care financial assistance programs, which at the moment involves a number of different tools and applications. Some parts involve more of an open notes field, which makes it hard to capture and sort information systemically. A better digital intake process would let them collect more 'granular' data, unify the experience for families, streamline care management, and improve operational efficiency. 'I think one of the wonderful things about the family portal is that it's going to allow us to collect more information earlier in the process and have to do less verification and going back to families and asking for them to update information,' White said. 'So we'll know more initially than we ever have before.' This article first appeared on CommonWealth Beacon and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Solve the daily Crossword
Auto Blog
30-06-2025
- Automotive
- Auto Blog
Porsche's Most Elaborate Paint Job Yet Meets The 911 GT3 Touring
Porsche Lëtzebuerg Legacy 911 GT3 Touring Is Art In Motion BMW is famous for its art cars, but Porsche might be even better at turning cars into decorative machines, and the new Porsche Lëtzebuerg Legacy 911 GT3 Touring created by the Sonderwunsch department illustrates that beautifully. Built to celebrate 75 years of Porsche in Luxembourg, the one-off was crafted in collaboration with local artist Jacques Schneider, with the wingless Touring version chosen as a base because of its understated design, which fits the character of the country it represents. The Red Lion, which is the small country's national animal, appears in several places, but the way in which this design came to life impresses just as much as the overall effect. 0:09 / 0:09 Audi reveals sporty new A5/S5 with an emphasis on design Watch More More Than 700 Hours Of Work 'This unique sports car embodies the link between Porsche's automotive heritage and Luxembourg's cultural identity,' according to Porsche Luxembourg Brand Manager Tom Weber. 'It exemplifies a partnership that has lasted for more than 75 years and is characterized by trust, innovation and shared passion.' Thus, a simple wrap would not have sufficed. Porsche describes the project and its paint job as the 'most elaborate ever produced so far as part of a Sonderwunsch project,' claiming that it involved more than 700 hours of work to finish. Painters applied a fine lion graphic (designed by Schneider) in Fire Red over the Ice Grey Metallic bodywork by hand, and this alone 'required more than 20 production steps.' Porsche adds that a blue tinge in the Ice Grey paint and red lion motifs reference the Luxembourg flag and its coat of arms. But there's more to this intricate one-off than just the new paint job. Small Subtleties Set This Sonderwunsch Project Apart The standard 20- and 21-inch GT3 alloys have been laser etched with a repeating moniker of 'Vive,' short for 'Vive [long live] Luxembourg,' and from a distance, it almost looks like somebody has fitted the GT3 with beadlock wheels. Elsewhere, the B-pillars have a small plaque with the name of the project (as do the door sills), the front grille features the anniversary number 75, and the badging on the rear lid grille has been painted matte black, matching the wheels. Inside, a map of Luxembourg adorns the headliner, as do the opening lines of the Grand Duchy's national anthem in Schneider's handwriting: 'Where the Alzette slowly flows, the Sura plays wild pranks, where fragrant vineyards amply grow. On the Mosella's banks; There lies the land for which we would dare everything down here, our own, our native land which ranks deeply in our hearts.' Porsche had to use a special machine here and in the seat center panels and door center panels, saying that this elaborate embroidery is a first for the Sonderwunsch program. Another first is the decision to finish the accelerator pedal in Fire Red to match the exterior accents, which is something this 911 shares in common with the Golf GTI Edition 50. We dare you to mention that to the new owner, though – cars like this, especially ones with new finishing techniques, cost more to customize than buying an entire GTI several times over. Autoblog Newsletter Autoblog brings you car news; expert reviews and exciting pictures and video. Research and compare vehicles, too. Sign up or sign in with Google Facebook Microsoft Apple By signing up I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy . You may unsubscribe from email communication at anytime. About the Author Sebastian Cenizo View Profile
CNBC
30-06-2025
- Business
- CNBC
'Cloud Warriors' author Tom Weber on the meteorology business, importance of hyperlocal forecasting
Tom Weber, 'Cloud Warriors' author, joins 'Squawk Box' to discuss the business of weather forecasting, how businesses rely on meteorology, the importance of hyperlocal forecasting, and more.
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Lawmakers cut 6 new positions in Nevada Department of Public Safety budget request
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Investigation backlogs and training needs within the Nevada Department of Public Safety (DPS) are among the justifications for new positions in the state budget, but lawmakers said Wednesday there's just not enough money to pay for everything. Six new DPS positions requested in Gov. Joe Lombardo's budget were cut during a hearing before the Joint Subcommittee on Public Safety, Natural Resources, and Transportation. Five more positions to create a new Illicit Cannabis Unit under DPS appear to be in jeopardy, too. Senators on the committee voted against adding one sergeant and four officers to staff a unit that would investigate illegal marijuana operations. 'The agency indicates while the Cannabis Compliance Board regulates the licensed cannabis industry, the illicit cannabis market has thrived, directly impacting Nevada by reducing tax revenue, creating environmental hazards and exposing youth to the effects of cannabis,' Tom Weber, a program analyst for the Legislative Counsel Bureau, told committee members. But Democratic Sen. Angie Taylor explained why the subcommittee was going through the budget with a fine-toothed comb. 'Our budget situation in some cases is unknown and some cases is known. And that's not pretty,' Taylor said. 'So we're unable, unfortunately, to approve all the positions that I think we'd like to approve.' The six positions removed from the budget request: Three positions in the DPS Investigation Division. The subcommittee approved one new sergeant and two new program officers to help DPS better meet the demand for digital forensics and cold case investigations. One IT professional. The subcommittee did approve a new IT manager position. One DPS digital media specialist to improve social media presence and online activity. DPS currently only has one person in the Public Information Office. One training officer. Instead, the subcommittee approved a program officer but delayed when that position would open up. In March, DPS said it had 169 devices waiting to be analyzed, according to information discussed Wednesday. That backlog in digital forensics was among the reasons DPS requested new positions. Democratic Assem. Howard Watts acknowledged the need to address the Investigation Division's needs. 'We definitely agree that we need to make some investments in this area, and help address some of the workload, but decided to remove one of the officer positions and two of those management analysts from the governor's recommendation,' Watts said. 8 News Now has reached out to the governor's office for comment, and this article will be updated if a statement is provided. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
