Photo: Alyssa Haywoode for Strategies for Children

In 1999, the Barr Foundation started investing in early education. Since then, Barr has generously distributed early education grants totaling more than $47 million to a number of organizations including Strategies for Children.

In 2020, Barr will sunset its giving in this sector, but as it does so, the foundation is reflecting on two decades of work, and it has posted a group of legacy early education webpages that documents its efforts.

Kimberly Haskins, Barr’s senior program officer for Cross-Program Initiatives, says:

“It is essential to invest in high-quality, developmentally appropriate learning experiences for children. To improve the experience for all children for years to come, we also need to invest in research, policy and public education. Strategies for Children and organizations that help support effective systems are critical for the longer term healthy development of children and families.”

Haskins expands on these ideas in a recent blog post:

“Twenty years ago, the field was largely focused on increasing access to childcare,” she writes. “Over time, that focus has both shifted and expanded to include not only increasing supply, but enhancing quality in early care and education. That shift in focus has also increased attention to outcomes for children.”

In the post, Haskins shares five lessons that Barr has learned:

1 The early education workforce must be highly skilled and fairly compensated. 

“In Massachusetts, the average salary for a community-based early education teacher is $29,020 per year. In comparison, the average salary of a kindergarten teacher in the State is $71,790 per year. This compensation gap means that many early educators are not receiving a wage that is livable…”

2 Curriculum can increase effective instruction and child learning.

“Early educators need an evidence-based curriculum” that “focus on language development and early literacy as well as numeracy, as early math skills not only predict later success in math, but also future reading achievement.” Along with that curricula, educators “need regular professional development to use it and coaching to strengthen their instruction.”

3 Data must be available to understand children’s development and improve programs. 

“Data and assessment are important tools to understand how children are progressing and, if there are delays, provide an important opportunity to adjust programming and connect children and families to resources.”

4 Developmentally appropriate facilities are better for children and their teachers. 

“…quickly converted storefronts and basements are not usually ideal environments for young children or their teachers… Developmentally appropriate facilities can help attract and retain top teaching talent and can contribute to improved student outcomes.”

5 Policy investments are critical. 

“Organizations that can understand what families need, translate that information into sound policy, and serve as independent watch dogs to monitor implementation are critical components to any healthy system.”

On Barr’s early education legacy pages there are more details about the programs Barr has funded, including Boston Public Schools, Smart from the Start, the Children’s Investment Fund, and Strategies for Children.

The Strategies page features a graphic that shows how our organizational core competencies produce benefits for families.

And Barr says of Strategies:

“From policy and regulatory advocacy, to raising public awareness, Strategies for Children works to make high-quality early education a reality for all. One of Barr’s earliest partners, Strategies for Children is a trusted ally and champion of the Commonwealth’s children.”

Working with the Barr Foundation has been a privilege for Strategies for Children. Chris Martes, our president and CEO, says, “We thank Barr for its support and leadership on early education. The foundation has offered us great financial support over the years but, just as importantly, has been an outstanding thought partner.”