Oklahoma Partnership for School Readiness seeks to provide better opportunities to the children and families in the state by engaging businesses and the public in supporting and investing in early childhood. They work to coordinate an early childhood system focused on strengthening families and school readiness for all children.
State Allies:
Ensure revisions to the quality rating and improvement system (QRIS) to support socio-emotional competencies and reduce racial and economic disparities in discipline practices and access to quality.
Implement a unifying framework for early childhood educators to professionalize the workforce across and within all sectors that educate and care for young children.
Increase access to early care and learning programs for 3- and 4-year olds by defining standards and establishing policies that allow layering of funding between Head Start, pre-k, and child care programs.
$7.49B STATE BUDGET
Estimated FY20 State General Fund Expenditures
ALIGNED GOVERNMENT
House (R), Senate (R),
Governor (R)
47% LOW-INCOME
216,549 Young Children (0-8) are Below 200% FPL
Before the pandemic, the Preschool Development Grant Birth to Five (PDG B-5) generated attention, created momentum and hope, and an aligned vision and plans to increase access to quality. The Oklahoma legislative session was halted just over a month into session, resulting in final action on only a few bills impacting early childhood. The pandemic also disrupted implementation plans, and all became consumed with response efforts. Passing a budget was the focus when the legislature returned in early May. Priority was placed on maintaining core services, and most state agencies received a 4 percent reduction. Decreasing revenues are anticipated in the future. Oklahoma is balancing improving quality and standards with providing for survival and meeting basic needs.
*Early childhood policy progress in a state is the result of numerous efforts — by those listed on this page and many others — who worked both independently and collaboratively to achieve wins for young children.
The Alliance for Early Success 2020 50-State Progress Report on Early Childhood Policy expands state data (disaggregating low-income young children by race) and provides high-level state policy trend analysis for the nation as a whole. Click the cover to go to the download page.
The Alliance for Early Success is achieving large-scale, long-lasting change for the state’s young children by providing our allies with powerful advantages that help them shape Oklahoma early childhood policy.
