Hello Starting Line readers,

In April, the U.S Supreme Court agreed to hear a Colorado case that poses a consequential question: Can states bar religious preschools from publicly funded preschool programs for refusing to admit children from LGBTQ families? 

The case — St. Mary Catholic Parish v. Roy — started in 2023, just as Colorado was rolling out its free preschool program. Two Denver-area Catholic preschools wanted to join but didn’t want to have to admit LGBTQ children or children with LGBTQ parents. They said it conflicted with their religious beliefs on sex and gender. They asked the state for an exemption from nondiscrimination rules that included protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity. The state refused, and the parishes that ran the preschools sued. 

Two lower courts ruled in favor of the state. Next fall, the Supreme Court will hear the case. Whichever way the decision goes, it could have big implications for states that require schools to abide by nondiscrimination rules in order to receive public dollars.   

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RESOURCE GAP RESEARCH Children from low-income families have roughly $80,000 less invested in their development, well-being, and education relative to their peers from high-income households, according to a new study.

NOVEL CHILDCARE FUNDING STRATEGY A Colorado bill would create an investment authority that could seek higher returns on certain pots of state money and send some of the proceeds to  help low-income families pay for childcare.

SUBSIDIES RESTART IN INDIANA After a 15-month freeze on new childcare subsidies, Indiana this month will begin offering families help with childcare costs again after the state approved an additional $200 million for the program. 

COHERENCE STUDY New research shows that early elementary students who received tutoring that aligned with classroom instruction made more progress than those who received tutoring that taught skills in a different order and used different terminology than regular classroom lessons did.

NOT EXCLUDED THIS TIME Home-based childcare providers were largely left out of past efforts to provide free childcare to 3- and 4-year-olds in New York City, but Mayor Zohran Mamdani has promised an inclusive approach for his ambitious plan to provide free care for 2-year-olds.

LOCAL VOTERS UP PRESCHOOL FUNDING In 2023, voters in an Indiana school district approved a referendum to offer families preschool tuition help — a first in the state. Now, lawmakers are considering letting cities and counties do the same. 

BACKGROUND CHECK GLUT As New York City moves to offer 2,000 free childcare seats by September, City Council members are concerned about potential backlogs at the health department, which is responsible for clearing background checks for new providers. 

NIEER PRESCHOOL REPORT More 4-year-olds are enrolled in state-funded preschools than ever before, but the quality and availability of preschool programs have experts concerned. EdSurge

EARLY INTERVENTION BOOSTS SCORES A first-of-its-kind study has found that early intervention services — which can include occupational, physical, and speech therapies, among others — improve children’s test scores, even years down the road. Hechinger Report

FREE CARE FOR THE EC WORKFORCE Since Kentucky began providing free childcare to most early childhood educators in 2022, other states have started their own versions of the effort. The 74

DOWNSIDE TO FAME Some influencers have transformed motherhood into a lucrative profession, but a new book is exploring the impact that has on kids who grow up online. The 19th

‘LANDMARK LEGISLATION’ A new West Virginia law will address several aspects of childcare, including having state payments to providers be based on child enrollment rather than attendance, and introducing a tax credit for employers that provide or assist with childcare for employees. WSAZ

CANDIDATE Q&A Aly Richards, who led a Vermont advocacy organization focused on improving access to high-quality childcare for nearly a decade, is running for governor. The 74

Thumbnail image by Rachel Woolf for Chalkbeat

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