Early Childhood Advocacy in Minnesota

Ready 4 KKaren KingsleyDirector of Policy & Civic Engagement

January 12, 2010

Success in Facing Budget Deficit

Minnesota faced $6 billion deficit on $34 billion 2-year budget in 2009

Republican Governor committed to not raising revenues; proposed cuts to services, including child care

Democratic leaders in House and Senate pledge NO CUTS to early childhood– Speaker convened Early Childhood Summit in

January 2009

The End Result – Success

NO CUTS to any early childhood programs or services, including:

– Early learning programs (Head Start, School Readiness, EC Family Education, EC Screening) in the Dept. of Education

– Child care assistance and child care quality in Dept. of Human Services

– Home Visiting in Dept. of Health

Especially significant that child care was seen as part of early childhood education

Different Result than in 2003

Previous budget deficit year resulted in significant cuts to all ECE programs– More than $200 million cut from child care (froze

rates, increased co-pays, reduced eligibility)– Funding reduced for Head Start, School

Readiness, EC Family Education and EC Screening, Home Visiting

How did MN succeed in 2009?

Culmination of 8 years of advocacy Ready 4 K formed in 2001 from child care financing

commission R4K is focused on improving school readiness

– Made early childhood an education issue– Allowed inclusion of all parts of ECE system – schools,

Head Start, child care– Demonstrated that child care has a central role in improving

school readiness

Combination of Strategies

Raising awareness and building public will Recruiting business leaders Organizing grassroots advocates Developing legislative leaders Building coalitions Advocating for policy change

Awareness Raising – Public Will

Editorials in major newspapers Billboards in key legislative districts and near

the Capitol Postcards, Letters to the Editor, Voices for

Children Advocacy Day, State Fair “When I Grow Up” photo booth

Website, Blog, Facebook, Twitter

Business Leadership

Hired former director of MN Business Partnership as consultant to recruit business leaders

– Formed MN Business for Early Learning (MnBEL) with corporate leaders

Recruited Federal Reserve Bank economist Art Rolnick to Ready4K Board

– Art publishes article touting big ROI on quality ECE Developed idea for public-private partnership, MN

Early Learning Foundation (MELF)– MELF has raised $16 million from corporate sponsors for

early childhood scholarships and quality rating system pilot

Grassroots Organizing

With funding from McKnight Foundation, hired four grassroots organizers, 2 metro and 2 in greater MN

Work closely with 80 early childhood coalitions funded by MN Initiative Foundations

Organized early childhood professionals and parents throughout the state

– Built advocacy network to include 6,000 people– Create Grassroots Leaders Network of 200 members– Used e-mail advocacy system to send action alerts,

newsletter and frequent legislative updates

Building Coalitions

Ready4K served as the big tent where everyone was welcome

Developed legislative agendas that crossed silos Created formal Early Childhood Alliance of early

childhood advocacy groups in 2009 to develop shared policy platform for Gov and Legislature

Working with Allies to develop early childhood “vision bill” with House Early Learning Committee chair

Legislative Leadership

Encouraged formation of Bi-partisan Legislative Early Childhood Caucus

Now includes more than 140 legislators (out of 201)

Caucus sponsored legislation to create a statewide QRIS, with funding tied to quality

House formed Early Learning Committee with jurisdiction over child care and ECE

Policy Advocacy

Hired former MN Senate staff to be primary lobbyist

Lobbyist and policy director work closely with CEO to educate legislators

Worked closely with other early childhood advocates to speak in a united voice

Strategically targeted legislative leaders and key committee members

Combination of Strategies = Win

Need all strategies in combination Take advantage of opportunities when they

present themselves– Secured add’l investment of $40 million for ECE

in 2007 with a budget surplus

Used variety of messengers– ROI argument is critical, esp. with deficit– Corporate leaders open doors

Next Steps

Gubernatorial leadership is critical, although some success can come even without Gov

Governor and all legislative seats up for election in 2010

Alliance of early childhood advocacy groups developed ECE platform for next Gov

Encouraging involvement of grassroots advocates in political party caucuses and election