On September 30th, October 1st, and even October 5th, I was certain that the federal government shutdown would end before I had the opportunity to post my comments on the detrimental impact the shutdown would have on access to and quality of early childhood education programs across the county. I was convinced that our representatives would come together, if for no other reason than to protect those constituents who are most vulnerable in our country—the young children and families living in poverty. Now, on October 8th, it is with a heavy, angry, and concerned heart that I write this blog post.

We are already seeing the impact on access to early childhood education as 23 Head Start programs that provide services to 19,000 children are in the process of closing their doors because they cannot receive the federal funding that was due to renew on October 1st. To put this number into perspective, it means that over 950 classrooms full of children will not be able to access the early learning services, nutritious meals, and family support that they desperately need. In addition, the 1,500 teachers, curriculum managers, and family service workers that make up the heart of the workforce in these 23 programs will be out of work as well.

As any current or former early childhood teacher knows, October is the time that classrooms begin to emerge from the back-to-school chaos and transform into a well-oiled machine, in which teachers and children are immersed in the dance of learning. By closing the doors to these classrooms for even a few days, we are not only denying the children access to essential services but also significantly impacting the quality of their learning once they return.

As I reflect on the shutdown, I am reminded of the simple poem by Robert Fulghum, “These are the things I learned (in Kindergarten)” from his book, All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten:

1. Share everything.
2. Play fair.
3. Don't hit people.
4. Put things back where you found them.
5. CLEAN UP YOUR OWN MESS.
6. Don't take things that aren't yours.
7. Say you're SORRY when you HURT somebody.

Since the foundation of Kindergarten is in early childhood classrooms, I think the words of the poem are especially relevant today. I wonder if our country would be in this situation if we all followed these seven simple rules we learned in our earliest years in school.

Teachstone will continue to monitor the shutdown and its impact on early childhood education. Please use the comments below to let us know how the shutdown is affecting you and your program.