Early Care and Education Crisis Workgroup Recommendations
Think Small, in partnership with the MN Chamber of Commerce, convened a broad group of organizations during the Fall of 2018 to develop a set of recommendations that address two crises impacting Minnesota's young children. These challenges are intertwined and must be addressed in a coordinated way. First, we have some of the nation's worst achievement gaps, which begin as opportunity gaps. Second, in many parts of the state we face a severe shortage of quality early care and education programs. Both crises endanger our children, communities and economy and require immediate action before they grow worse.
With this goal in mind the Early Care and Education Crisis Workgroup has developed the following resources:
• Roadmap for Action- Full Report
• Executive Summary
• Recommendation for Administrative fixes
• Local Level Recommendations
All of these resources can be found at
w
ww.thinksmall.org/crisis
. Stay tuned for ways you can support this work in the 2019 legislative session.
How to Effectively Engage State Legislators
"Earlier is better."
Mixed Delivery Policy Hour
Ann Kaner-Roth Policy Hour
Ann Kaner-Roth Policy Hour is a monthly opportunity for early childhood and afterschool professionals to connect with each other and learn about current policy issues in an informal setting.
Bring your lunch. Invite your friends. No RSVP necessary.
Mark your calendars! Ann Kaner-Roth Policy Hour is held the first Tuesday of each month, October 2018-June 2019, from Noon-1:00 p.m. at Think Small (2021 East Hennepin Avenue | Suite LL20, Minneapolis, MN 55413). These events are provided to the field at no cost by the Minnesota's Future Coalition.
MinnPost Article on Early Childhood Education
Featured commentary includes MinneMinds’ co-chairs Acooa Ellis and Ann Mulholland, along with executive committee member Jim Bartholomew.
Letter to the Governor
Early Education Challenge to Legislators
We're proud to share a challenge from our friends at A Minnesota Without Poverty.
The mission of A Minnesota Without Poverty is to end poverty, and in the process to enlist the support of people of all political beliefs -especially our lawmakers - to better the lives of all Minnesotans. We believe investing in the futures of our most vulnerable and youngest children is a major step toward our goal. That’s why we have created a campaign we call THINK KIDS: THINK P.I.E. (Promote Investment Early) to build public and legislative support for increases in spending for high-quality care and education programs for our most vulnerable children ages 0 to 5.
A Minnesota Without Poverty will challenge the Legislature to:
Continue efforts to coordinate, fund and assess high-quality, early learning, school-readiness programs to help close the achievement/opportunity gap, including voluntary family home-visiting programs that provide education and support;
Focus on a variety of creative learning experiences that start very early in life;
Target resources to the most vulnerable children;
Support developmentally-appropriate, kindergarten-readiness best practices;
Ensure flexibility to meet the needs of a wide diversity of children, parents, and cultures.
Click here
to take action and join us in supporting their efforts.
In The News: Reducing Childhood Trauma in Minnesota
In the November issue of Minnesota Women's Press, MineMinds Member Carol Koepp published a moving piece on the life-long effects of abuse and trauma that occurs at an early age. Her partner's experience is an example of why nurturing environments at an early age have such a large impact throughout the life of a child. From the article:
My life-mate, Tom, had a childhood filled with toxic stress. The abuse and neglect were significant during his formative brain development years — when children acquire important functions in emotional control, trust, and forming attachments. It led to a life of post-traumatic stress disorder, self-doubt, depression, and anxiety.
One day, for example, I entered a room where he was working. I accidentally stepped on a piece of crisp paper that made a crackling sound. He whirled around and screamed loudly, with a look of terror. How does this happen to an accomplished man in his 78th year?
Research published in 1998, known as the ACE Study — Adverse Childhood Experiences — revealed the connection between early childhood trauma and chronic illnesses, such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes type 2, obesity, drug use, smoking, mental illness, substance abuse, violence, and early death.
New Committee Structure and Leadership in MN House
The Minnesota House has made changes to its committee structure and leadership staff for the 2019-2020 biennium. We're looking forward to continued partnership with the new leaders in the legislature.
These new partners include:
Rep. Jim Davnie, Education Finance Division
Rep. Dave Pinto, Early Childhood Finance & Policy Subcommittee
Rep. Tina Liebling, Health and Human Services Finance
Rep. Rena Moran, Health and Human Services Policy
Rep. Cheryl Youakim, Education Policy
Welcome aboard!
To see the full list of Committee Chairs and a summary of the changes made to committee structure,
click here
.