A child care model that red states can “rally around”

[Emily Tate Sullivan, EdSurge]

View in browser     |   No. 708  |   11/13/25   |   Subscribe to this newsletter This issue is sponsored by During my first week at EdSurge, back in September 2018, we published the 345th issue of this newsletter.    You’re now reading the 708th issue — and my last.     After seven years and nearly 300 published stories here, it’s time for me to move on.  My departure is bittersweet. I feel, in many ways, as if I’ve grown up under this green lightning-strike logo. And I am so proud of so many of the stories I’ve been able to publish on its digital pages.    When I accepted the “K-12 reporter” position here, I was the only person I knew who had a fully remote job. (I lived in Washington, D.C., while EdSurge, Inc. was based in the Bay Area.) Since then, “WFH” has become almost as recognizable as “LOL” and “FYI.”    Other things have changed in that time, too. I left D.C. and moved to Colorado. I got married and had a baby. As for our newsroom, well, change has been about the only constant. EdSurge got acquired by an education nonprofit, which then merged with another. We went from being ~that edtech publication~ to one of the handful of nonprofit newsrooms covering education. We expanded to cover early childhood and later shifted away from covering higher ed. We weathered a global pandemic and, more recently, the emergence of generative AI.    When we added early childhood to our portfolio back in 2019, I could not have anticipated just how much I would come to love reporting on the early years. Moving forward, that will be my main focus. (It dovetails nicely with my personal life, the main focus of which is a nearly 7-month-old baby whose personality and skill set are blossoming more each day.) Early childhood education will also continue to be a focus for EdSurge; stay tuned for more on that.    I’m grateful for every story I’ve written here, grateful to every parent, educator and advocate who has made time to talk with me. I hope and suspect many of our paths will continue to cross.    — Emily Tate Sullivan, EdSurge senior reporter 📣 TOP STORIES   THE TROUBLE WITH TRI-SHARE? A child care cost-sharing model that originated in Michigan a few years ago is now available, in some form, in at least 10 states. But not everyone thinks the Tri-Share program — and its interstate scale — is such a good idea. Why do some early childhood advocates view it as wrongheaded, while state leaders continue to defend its merits?   A SUBTRACTION PROBLEM: Not long ago, boys and girls in American schools seemed to be performing about the same in science and math. But that’s changing, as the gap between their scores in those subjects is mounting again. Schools have a tough hill to climb if they want to help girls overcome cultural barriers and perform better. How can they get rid of that pesky gap?   Sponsored by Digital Promise League of Innovative Schools COLLABORATING FOR CHANGE: When districts face similar challenges, from supporting multilingual learners to reducing chronic absenteeism, collaboration becomes essential. By connecting with peers nationwide, education leaders are discovering research-backed strategies, sharing innovative solutions and building momentum for lasting change that helps all students thrive. The following is a message from our sponsor BrainFreeze streamlines district-wide operations, empowering administrators to focus on education, not logistics. Simplify workflows, spark student engagement, and support teachers with AI that’s secure, affordable, and endlessly scalable. Build smarter schools with tools that reduce complexity — because better systems mean better learning outcomes. Learn more today!   📺 EYES AND EARS THEY’RE WORRIED TOO: Educator concerns about AI have received plenty of attention. Less widely understood is the fact that many students have their own worries about the ways artificial intelligence is now shaping their learning. Hear more in this EdSurge video short.   Sponsored by The Pokémon Company International THE POWER OF PLAY: Did you know that when it comes to boosting cognitive development, the game of Pokémon rivals chess? Join our upcoming webinar to discover how Pokémon clubs can spark student engagement and nurture critical skills. Register now to join live: “Running a Pokémon Club in Your School or Library,” Thursday, November 13, from 12 to 1 p.m. PT / 3 to 4 p.m. ET. 🗞️ IN OTHER NEWS   TOGETHER WE LEARN: From summer afternoons with cousins to experiences in multi-age classrooms, the benefits of spending time with older and younger kids are clear. But standardized, age-based schooling often misses these moments of shared discovery. In this essay, former EdSurge Voices of Change fellow Sachin Pandya argues for reimagining schools to embrace the natural, joyful learning that emerges when students of different ages connect.   AN ACADEMIC BOOST: A new analysis from Yale backs up the hypothesis that social-emotional learning, while not explicitly academic, helps students do better in the classroom. One key finding is that the length of SEL instruction matters — with full-year programs showing twice the improvement in student scores. Learn more here.   🔗WHAT WE'RE READING   States and districts have grappled with declining enrollment. (K-12 Dive)   We’re testing preschoolers for giftedness. Experts say that doesn’t work. (The Hechinger Report)   How one center is adapting to New Mexico’s “universal” child care. (Marketplace) 📈 STORY IN A STAT 53 percent That’s the portion of survey respondents who believe that parents taking children out of school for vacations “provides real world experience,” compared with 33 percent who said it “disrupts students’ educations,” according to a social media poll conducted by Education Week. Family vacations are among the culprits of high student absenteeism in recent years.    Post a job | See all jobs   Customer Success Specialist | Air Reading | Remote Air Reading is on a mission to transform literacy instruction through personalized reading support. We're looking for a mission-driven, empathetic problem solver to join our Customer Success team.   Customer Success Manager | CodeMonkey Studios | Remote 🍌 We’re going bananas at CodeMonkey — because we’re hiring 🍌CodeMonkey is looking for a Customer Success Manager 🚀Join us to make education fun for learners around the world!   Events See all events and meetups   More Than Messages: How Strong Communication Builds Trust and Belonging in Schools | November 18 | Online Learn with Leaders webinar sponsored by ClassDojo for Districts designed for K-12 district and school communications professionals. Learn how to build family trust, elevate messaging, and create a stronger sense of belonging districtwide.   THANKS FOR READING   ➔ Got any feedback? We love hearing from readers. Shoot us a note, critiques, a joke—whatever you’ve got! ➔ Interested in reaching our readers? Sponsor this newsletter. EdSurge is an editorially independent project of ISTE+ASCD reporting on the powerful forces, fascinating people and innovative practices shaping teaching and learning. International Society for Technology in Education 2111 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 300, Arlington, Virginia, 22201, United States To update your email preferences or unsubscribe, click here.