Co-authored by Jessica N. Wise, PhD; Katarina Reyes, MEd; and Sandy McKay, MD, FAAP, the policy report, “The Case for Early Childhood Education as Health and Economic Policy” was recently published by Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy. The report outlines health and economic challenges faced by families with young children across the US, considering the effects on children’s and families’ well-being. The authors recommend a multipronged policy approach to provide affordable, high-quality early childhood education for families, including expansion of the Child Tax Credit and continuation of the Child Care Stabilization Act through the next five years.
Wise and McKay are members of the McGovern Center, particularly through the university’s Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP), “Healthcare Policy for Health Professionals.” In Fall 2024, Wise transitioned from her role as predoctoral to postdoctoral fellow with the McGovern Center following her graduation from the School of Public Health’s doctoral program in health economics and health services research. She is a member of the leadership committee of the QEP. McKay is the QEP co-director and is the division director for Community and General Pediatrics, an associate professor, vice chair of advocacy, and the director of population health in the Department of Pediatrics. She is also the Huffington Fellow in Child Health Policy at the Baker Institute.