The Alliance for Early Success is a 50-state resource for early-childhood advocates as they pursue the big, sustained impact that will ensure every child in every state, birth through age eight, has an equal chance to grow, learn, and succeed.
The Alliance for Early Success and ZERO TO THREE recently launched a new collaborative community on Part C Early Intervention, where advocates can connect and reflect with other advocates working in this critical state policy area.
Illinois advocates worked with the state legislature and the Pritzker administration to pass Public Act 102-926. The approved legislation includes proposals developed by the state’s Early Learning Council, with support from Start Early and Illinois Action for Children. The Council’s recommendations were informed by the lived experiences of parents who access early childhood services for their children.
Advocates at NC Child partnered with the NC Early Childhood Foundation to launch the EarlyWell Initiative in 2019 to lead the implementation of recommendations from the Pathways to Grade-Level Reading Action Framework. The EarlyWell initiative is informed by the voices of parents and caregivers to ensure that system best reflects the needs and lived experiences of North Carolina communities.
Georgia allies at GEEARS are celebrating the creation of a new task force for Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health. Allies leveraged a cross-state partnership with Alabama’s IECMH coordinator to support progress. GEEARS organized efforts for a legislative study committee that led to the creation of recommendations, which will be carried out by the task force.
WEBINAR: Outdated perceptions about autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are often at the foundation of states’ failure to adequately screen, assess, and intervene in early childhood. Dr. Ami Klin, a leading national voice on autism and autism policy, helped us see how bringing an early brain-development framing to the table can lead to better policy — and better outcomes for these young children and their families.
In the fall of 2020 the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus held a series of hearings to develop its agenda, and because of long-standing relationships built on trust and respect, advocates were invited to highlight early childhood issues and to make recommendations to be included in the package. Working together, they helped win a new package of education and health care reforms.
Advocates in DC pivoted their 2020 goals to respond to the challenges of the pandemic. Despite obstacles, they preserved funding for early childhood services and secured additional funds to help struggling child care providers. They did this all through the work of a coalition formed specifically to advocate for early childhood funding.
Missouri’s governor has announced the formation of the Office of Childhood, and advocates around the state celebrated the move as a monumental step towards creating a comprehensive vision and program alignment of Missouri’s early childhood system.
Allies in Texas have successfully defeated proposed cuts to Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) respite care services. Restoring these funds will ensure that the 2,000 families that use these services annually still have access to assistance during a time of increased need due to the stresses of COVID-19.
The Children’s Leadership Council of Michigan continued its advocacy for high-quality, affordable child care and worked with advocates and policymakers to develop and prioritize policy options for investing new CCDBG funds. In the FY2019 budget, lawmakers increased overall spending on the child care subsidy to reflect increased enrollment in the program.
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