With another school year on the horizon, it’s a good time for everyone in a child’s ecosystem to recognize our shared responsibility in addressing the adverse residual effects the pandemic has on their learning and social-emotional well-being. These effects are particularly pronounced in children from underresourced communities, who often lack access to necessary resources and support systems. We all have a stake in ensuring a bright future for our children, which means stepping in to help.

It’s clear that while the temporary infusion of federal aid to public education has helped school-age children recover some academic losses from pandemic-related disruptions, we still have a lot of ground to cover. The widening learning gap between students from lower-income communities and their better-resourced peers underscores the crucial need for targeted support and interventions, and the role each of us plays in this effort.

Less widely discussed has been the developmental trajectory of “pandemic babies,” who are only beginning to enter the educational system. Here, too, the data provide cause for concern, with declines visible in verbal and motor abilities, social-emotional skills and school readiness. As with their older siblings and neighbors, the severity of these problems varies with socioeconomic status, exacerbating disparities that well predate the pandemic.

No one should be surprised to learn that early care and education play a crucial role in equipping children with the skills required to thrive academically and socially. Decades of research have documented the improvements in literacy, numeracy, and executive functioning that can be achieved through quality programming, and demonstrated the long-term benefits that follow.

In this regard, the 131st Maine Legislature has shown leadership in setting a goal of universal public preschool. Yet the success of this undertaking will depend on more than just the blessing of officials in Augusta. Parent engagement, a critical factor in children’s success, and community involvement, will be central to realizing this key policy objective. Purposeful interventions addressing the heightened struggles now observable among our young children are thus more urgent than ever.

Our organization, the Early Math and Language Initiative, has been working to develop a model for building just that kind of parent-school-community partnership. We recently piloted a two-generational Family Math hour intervention program with a dedicated group of educators in Lewiston. Drawing on the work of scholars who have analyzed how early exposure to math concepts lays the foundation for later learning in all subjects, we developed a math program that includes interactive story time and games. The intention is to introduce young children and special adults to mathematical ideas and skills through positive academic experiences.

The results from our pilot programs have been encouraging, with participating children showing progress in math ability – and having a great time. Our experience has shown that the best outcomes occur when parents are involved, and the degree to which they participate in the learning process matters. And there is evidence that supports the claim that parental engagement matters. Of course, it is also the case that it is difficult in working-class households to achieve such engagement due to the intense demands, such as time and resources, that adult family members sometimes need help with. As we have learned through the pilot programs, when community organizations commit to meeting and resourcing family caregivers where they are – in terms of location, outreach and information – such interventions do have a positive impact.

The long-term educational repercussions of the pandemic could be significant. However, there is hope. The public’s growing recognition of the importance of early childhood education is a positive sign. As members of the community, we all can lend a hand in ensuring the success of these young learners.