A vision of the Waldorf School in New York is to bring the classroom outdoors -- all year long -- for children between the ages of 3 and 6. It's called a forest kindergarten, made popular in Denmark in the 1950s. The program is launching in Saratoga Springs at a time when many child experts say there is a lack of free, outdoor play in the lives of today's children and how it negatively is impacting their physical, emotional and intellectual health, as well as their creativity and problem-solving skills.

A Virginia study reveals that many working parents struggle with childcare. 4,400 employees from 13 companies in Virginia were surveyed, and the study found that 62% said childcare affected their work schedules. More than half said they have had to miss work because of childcare issues. Cost was cited as the number one reason with finding childcare, followed by lack of openings, limited hours and low-quality care. 

A New York newspaper reviews Obama's educational reform plan and gives residents a chance to speak their minds on the issue.

Early education advocates are taking President Obama at his word when he says that the billions of dollars in federal stimulus dollars for programs like Head Start and Early Head Start are down payments for future expansion.

Illinois Congressman Phil Hare has introduced legislation that would improve access to early childhood education programs for rural communities. For too long, access to preschool and other early childhood education programs have been few and far between, he said. His legislation, he said, would give states and local school districts the tools they need to help rural students get a head start. He added that every study shows that children who attend preschool programs are more likely to achieve success in school. This leads to additional college graduates and a more competitive workforce. He concluded that it is not only good education policy, but it makes economic sense.

President Obama once again reiterated his plans to strengthen early care and education for America's children, stating that success will require preparing every child to out-compete any worker, anywhere in the world, because we know the students who are getting the best education will be able to compete. That is why he plans to make historic investments in early care and education, as well as the K-12 system. Early childhood education works, President Obama said. Let's invest in that. Obama reiterated his feelings on ECE during a new experiment for the White House Web site called Open for Questions. The experiment is designed to offer Americans transparency and accountability in the White House by allowing citizens to submit questions for the president to answer in an online forum. For more information on the Open for Questions forum, visit the link above.

New York's Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy has introduced legislation that would provide a dedicated source of capital for early childhood care and education programs.

The country's lieutenant governors, including Connecticut's Michael Fidele, are joining a growing movement to support high-quality, voluntary pre-kindergarten for all children. The National Lieutenant Governors Association passed a resolution pledging support for pre-k at the winter meeting in Washington, D.C.

The Department of Education is encouraging school districts to include early childhood education facilities in any facilities investments the make using American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding.

Preparing the leaders of tomorrow for a competitive global market begins at a very early age. The Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning, one of the key strategies to prepare children for a brighter future is to invest in early education.