Recent State Policy Advances
Expanded investment. Restructured agencies. New caucuses, committees, and coalitions. Read about all the ways our allies on the front lines are making their state a better place for each and every child to reach their full potential.
State By State:
Legislative Support Signals Commitment to Improve Tennessee Early Education
Early education advocates across Tennessee are cheering results of the 2019 Tennessee legislative session that include a slate of approved policy proposals aimed at boosting learning prior to third grade as a strategy to improve Tennessee’s public education system. Highlights include a new pilot to create a network of early grades literacy and math coaches to help teachers in the state’s lowest performing schools, an increase in funding for evidence-based home visiting (EBHV) programs, and ongoing funding and more robust training and improvements for Pre-K and kindergarten teachers who use the portfolio model to measure academic growth. And the Tennessee General Assembly formed a bipartisan House and Senate caucus to provide exclusive focus on early education policy. Altogether, approval of these policies delivers a successful outcome to an agenda of the state’s leading early education advocates, said Mike Carpenter, executive director of Tennesseans for Quality Early Education (TQEE). “This was a very successful legislative session for our youngest students and an indication that Tennessee is committed to building a stronger early education system,” Carpenter said. “All Tennesseans want better education outcomes. The policies supported by the General Assembly and Lee administration move Tennessee in the right direction of building a more robust system of quality education for children from birth to third grade and to accelerate progress that helps Tennessee kids get a smart start in life. This legislative session was a necessary step to address the unacceptable condition of our student’s proficiency scores and begin to build a foundation that produces better outcomes.” While in the past decade Tennessee made strides as one of the most improved states in education outcomes, it still ranks in the bottom half of all states. Most Tennessee students in grades 3-12 are not proficient in math or English; by the third grade, most Tennessee students are behind and remain there. TQEE was formed to address poor proficiency and advocate for strong early education programs that can help students get a strong start that ensures they are proficient before they enter third grade. TQEE achieved success on its 2019 policy agenda, which included the coaching pilot program, maintaining the state’s commitment to voluntary Pre-K and EBHV programs. Governor Bill Lee’s administration increased financial support to create a coaching pilot to support early grades teachers in low performing schools and the General Assembly provided additional funding to support EBHV programs that help connect parents with community resources to assist parenting, health, development and learning of their young children. Creation of the coaching pilot is a strategic approach to provide early grades teachers with greater support as the state works toward a goal to increase the percentage of third graders who are reading, writing and doing math on grade level from about 37 percent today to 75 percent by 2025. Embedding instructional coaches in schools to support teachers is proven to be a successful tool to improve teaching and student outcomes. EBHV is a nationally proven programming that is successfully applied in many Tennessee communities to assist young parents, improve their parenting skills, reduce abuse and neglect, improve health of babies and ready children for learning. Studies demonstrate that EBHV has an impressive $5.70 return for every $1 of public investment through reduction of costs for remedial education, public financial support, criminal justice and other societal impacts. “TQEE thanks Governor Lee, Education Commissioner Penny Schwinn, Senate Education Chairman Dolores Gresham, House Education Chairman White, Senator Steve Dickerson and Representative Bill Dunn, and the legislature for supporting strong early education,” Carpenter said.
Alaska Children’s Trust Report Spotlights the Impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences on the State Economy and Workforce
The Alaska Children’s Trust (ACT) has released “Vibrant Economy, Strong Workforce, Thriving Families: A Guide to Trauma-Informed Policy Decision-Making.” The document was developed as a tool to educate a broad range of state and local policymakers about the impact of ACEs on health and social problems. The primary audience is state legislators and their staffs, government administrators, and county and municipal policymakers.
Early Learning a Priority for Washington State Legislators
NCSL’s Early Care and Education staff traveled to Olympia, Wash. to support an Early Learning Forum during new member orientations in January.
Rapid Response from State and National Allies Creates Bipartisan Momentum for Early Childhood Reform in Louisiana
When the National Governors Association learned the Louisiana governor’s office was interested in advancing early childhood education in the state, the Alliance convened state and national allies for a bipartisan full-court press.
Allies Act on Montana’s Interest in Pre-K — and Send Them to Alabama
When the National Governors Association heard that the administration in Montana was looking to learn more about Pre-K strategies in rural states, they turned to the Alliance for Early Success — and allies in Alabama — to deliver.
New Jersey Hosts Advocates from California for a Powerful Learning Tour
A site visit to Abbott Preschool in New Jersey provided advocates from across country the opportunity to hear the inspiring story of how they have transformed their early learning programs – from birth through 3rd grade – over the past 20 years, following the implementation of a court order requiring expansion of high quality preschool programs to address inequities in their education system and how that first step led to the development of the state’s broader early learning system.
Celebrating 25 Years of Georgia’s Pre-K Program
The logo design by a Georgia Pre-K student for the 25th birthday celebration.
Georgia is proud to be celebrating the 25th anniversary of Georgia Pre-K, the first universal Pre-K Program in the nation.
Data and Friends: The Key to Improving and Strengthening NJ’s Early Childhood Systems
With the New Jersey’s election of a new governor less than a year ago, Advocates for Children of New Jersey (ACNJ) saw this leadership change as an opportunity to expand and improve programs for young children and their families.
Legislative Champions Key to Mississippi Pre-K Victories
The story of the 2018 state-funded pre-K expansion in Mississippi is a tale of playing the long game.
Minnesota Allies Play Defense in 2018 Legislative Session
The 2018 state legislative session did not yield child-focused investments or policy, but some consequences were avoided. Allies’ child care priorities garnered broad bipartisan support throughout the legislative session and were included in the supplemental budget bill that both the House and Senate passed. The budget bill, however, also included problematic provisions, including one that could have had the unintended consequence of removing eligible individuals from public programs.
The Good and the Bad for Early Care and Education in Louisiana So Far in 2018
The Louisiana Legislature finished its regular and three special sessions with both good and bad news for young children and their families.
2018 Legislative Session Adds up to Big Wins for Colorado’s Young Children & Families
Now that the 2018 regular session of the Colorado General Assembly is completed, we’re adding up all the big wins for Colorado’s young children and families.
