Today’s Issue: AI Can't Take Care of Kids; State of Preschool 2025 Drops; ECE in the News = 1.5 cups of coffee..

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🦾 AI is Replacing Jobs…Except for ECE!

AI is landing roles in finance, tech, law, you name it. The headlines are breathless. The think pieces are endless. But here's the plot twist the critics didn't see coming: ECE is the role AI simply cannot play. Children's Lighthouse, the national ECE franchise, is making the case loud and clear, those critical first years of learning, the trust, the co-regulation, the silly songs at circle time, that's human-only territory. No algorithm can replicate what you do every single day. So while AI gets its standing ovation elsewhere, the real stars? They're right there in your classroom. 👏

Read the Full Story HERE

📊 Quick Reader Poll:

5⭐️ - How Reviews Influence Childcare Enrollment Decisions

This is getting a TON of attention in the industry. Our readers asked for more info on this topic. Some have lost enrollment due to a bogus review. Your online profile MATTERS…a lot. Parents rely more and more on Google reviews in their decision making process. And HOW you manage your online reviews is key. Check out this post on what and how to manage this HERE.

❣️ Don’t forget, The ECEntial is about to drop something that will help with managing your online profile with insights and actionable steps to make this easy as pie. 🥧

📚The State of Preschool 2025 Is Here And Your State Has a Report Card

Every year, the National Institute for Early Education Research releases its State of Preschool Yearbook, the gold standard across the country. The 2025 edition just dropped, and the headline is this: we're breaking records, but the momentum is starting to slow down. Here's what you need to know. 👇

Key Findings:

• 📈 Record enrollment — Nearly 1.8M children attended state-funded preschool in the 2024–2025 school year.

• 💰 Record spending — States invested nearly $14.4B total, averaging $8k per child enrolled. But the pace of growth slowed substantially from prior years.

• 🏆 Georgia made history — The Peach State became the first universal pre-K program to serve more than half of all four-year-olds and meet all 10 of NIEER's quality benchmarks simultaneously. Proof that access AND quality can coexist.

• 🔟 Alabama keeps the streak alive — Hit all 10 quality benchmarks for the 20th consecutive year. Twenty. Years. Straight. 👏🏽

• ⚠️ The growth slowdown is real — Despite record highs, states are not expanding at the rate needed to reach all children who need access.

Why It’s Important

Whether you run a private center, a Head Start program, or a franchise location, state preschool data directly impacts the funding environment, the competitive landscape, and the families you serve. When public pre-K expands, enrollment dynamics shift. When quality benchmarks are set, your standards are shaped. This report is the playbook.

🗺️ Bonus: NIEER's site includes an interactive map where you can click your state and see exactly how it ranks in access, spending, and quality. Go find out where YOUR state lands.

👉 Read the Full 2025 State of Preschool Yearbook at NIEER.org

📰 ECE In The News

🥩 Cargill Puts $5M Where Its Workforce Is: The beef industry giant just made a major bet on childcare, and we're here for it. Cargill is funding the groundbreaking of the Full Circle Childcare Center in Dodge City, KS, contributing $5M-$6M total cost. The center will offer 100+ slots, including 24-hour care. Opening expected July 2027. This is what corporate investment in ECE actually looks like. Read more HERE

💸 Childcare Disruptions Cost the U.S. $70B: Let that number sink in. A new report finds that childcare disruptions are draining $70B annually from the U.S. economy through lost wages, reduced productivity, and workforce exits. The childcare crisis isn't just a family problem. It's a national economic emergency. Read more HERE

🌐 The Internet is a Playground:

🗓️ On this Day in History: On April 21, 1836, General Sam Houston led Texan forces to a decisive 18-minute victory at the Battle of San Jacinto, securing Texas independence from Mexico. The rallying cry? "Remember the Alamo!" The lesson for ECE leaders? Sometimes the biggest wins happen fast, but only after a long, hard fight to get there. 🤠

🤰🏾Adjusting for Parenting Trends: Understanding parenting trends are hugely impactful to ECE. Here’s what to know.

YOUR VOICE COUNTS

Is there a topic you want more info on or want to share a funny story? Then let us know! Shoot us a quick email at [email protected]. This newsletter is for you, and well, you should have a say, don't’ you think?