🥇 What the Data Says About Your 3-Year-Olds - See Where Your State Lands

Today's Issue: Record-breaking Winter Games; Are kids truly ready?; Childcare cash battles heat up = 1 cup of coffee

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🥇 Team USA's Best Winter Games. Ever. The 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics wrapped up on February 22nd — and Team USA made history. With 12 gold, 12 silver, and 9 bronze medals (33 total), the U.S. finished second only to Norway and set a new record for American gold medals at a single Winter Games.

The highlights? BOTH the men's and women's hockey teams brought home gold. Figure skater Alysa Liu ended a 20-year U.S. medal drought in women's individual skating. Speed skater Jordan Stolz set two Olympic records. And let's not forget Elana Meyers Taylor finally getting her gold in bobsled after five Olympic appearances. 🙌

Whether your kiddos were glued to the TV or you snuck in a few late-night events after bedtime, it was a good two weeks to be an American sports fan. Get the full medal breakdown 👉👉 HERE!

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📊 This Week's Deep Dive

Are 3-Year-Olds "Healthy and Ready to Learn"? Here's What the National Data Shows.

New research from Child Trends paints a detailed picture of where 3-year-olds stand developmentally across the U.S. — and the findings are a mixed bag worth paying attention to.

Researchers tracked 3.8M children across five key developmental domains:

1. social-emotional skills

2. knowledge and cognition

3. physical development

4. language and literacy

5. approaches to learning

The good news: the majority of 3-year-olds are on track overall. But dig deeper and the state-by-state gaps are hard to ignore. Certain demographics without access to quality ECE programs consistently score lower across multiple domains. Preschool access remains a key predictor of readiness.

For ECE providers, this data is more than a report — it's a roadmap. Where you see gaps in your classrooms, this national data validates what you're already experiencing. And where you see your kids thriving, you have evidence that your work is making a real difference.

👇 Hit the button below to explore the full national and state-level breakdown. We promise it's worth the click.

📊 See What the Data Says About YOUR State →

ECE In The News

🏛️ NJ Employers Could Score Big Tax Credits for Childcare: New Jersey is taking a creative swing at the childcare affordability crisis — and it's targeting employers instead of just parents. Legislation advancing through Trenton would give employers tax credits of up to $100k per year for subsidizing childcare costs for their employees. NJ ranks among the most expensive states in the nation for infant care (over $18k/year!), this could make a real dent. Business groups are lining up in support. What do you think — could this model work in your state? Check out the details 👉👉 HERE!

⚖️ $10B in Childcare Funding Protected — For Now: Big news for CCDF providers and anyone watching the federal funding battles. New York Attorney General Letitia James just won a second court order blocking the freeze of over $10 billion in childcare funds. That freeze threatened the Child Care and Development Fund (yes, THAT one), TANF, and other critical programs across five states. A federal court granted a preliminary injunction — keeping the money flowing while the legal fight continues. The story is still developing, so stay close. Full details 👉👉 RIGHT HERE!

The Internet is a Playground:

📅 On this Day in History: On February 24, 1803, the U.S. Supreme Court handed down Marbury v. Madison — arguably the most important court case in American history. Chief Justice John Marshall established the principle of judicial review: the idea that the Supreme Court can strike down any law that violates the Constitution. It's the foundation of checks and balances we still rely on today. 🇺🇸 Tip: This is a great hook for a simple classroom lesson about rules and fairness — even your youngest learners can grasp the idea that rules exist to protect everyone, and that some rules are more important than others!

🌏 Explore Your World: Easter Island, known for its big head statues, is one of the most isolated islands in the world. Now you can EXPLORE it with this cool virtual tour.

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