Family Friend and Neighbor care gets attention

The Minnesota Department of Human Services has announced the recipients of a grant program for Family Friend and Neighbor (FFN) providers. DHS recieved $750,000 from the legislature in 2007 after Ready 4 K and our allies worked to show legislators the important role this type of care is to families. Minnesota is the first state in the US to put resources into FFN care and it has caused quite a buzz in the early childhood community.

One of the grant recipients, the Northland Foundation (based in Duluth) had this news feature in the local media.

The majority of children in Minnesota spend part of their time in FFN care during the day: whether it is a grandparent, next door neighbor, or nanny. FFN care is especially important in greater Minnesota where there are few programs and child care centers available for young families. It is exciting to see more attention and resources devoted to this area.

Why we do what we do

Reading a new report from the Partnership for America's Economic Success, Using Tax Credits to Promote High Quality Early Care and Education Services, I was particularly struck by the opening paragraph of the introduction:

America's long-term economic success depends on ensuring that children -- the next generation of citizens -- succeed in school and life (Heckman & Masterov, 2004). Advances in neuroscience underscore that young children learn from the earliest moments of life, and that learning is especially rapid in their first five years. The accumulated evidence from evaluations of high quality early education programs tells us children in those programs advance in intellectual, social and emotional competence in the short term, do better academically (in both reading and math) and socially in school, and generally live more productive lives as adults than children who have no preschool education or who have poor early educational experiences (Shore, 1997; Shonkoff & Phillips, 2000; Brown & Scott-Little, 2003; Rolnick & Grunewald, 2003; Lynch, 2004; Gilliam & Zigler, 2004; Barnett & Ackerman, 2006).

The report goes on to explore the possibilities of using tax credits linked to quality standards to promote and finance quality early care and education opportunities. (View full report here.) To me, this introductory paragraph seems a great summary of the different aspects of why we work for quality early learning experiences for children; brain development, social and emotional development, future academic performance, and economic stability (both for the individual and the community). What do you think? How would you state your reasons for working on behalf of early care and education?

Early Childhood Research Collaborative

On Friday and Saturday the Early Childhood Research Collaborative, a joint effort of the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis and the University of Minnesota, held a conference on early childhood development, Critical Issues in Cost Effectiveness in Children's First Decade.

Minnesota Public Radio aired a story covering the event. Slides of the presentations from the workshops are available on the event website.

Early Childhood editorial in the Strib

Check out the StarTribune editorial Turning Child Care into Preschool published in Tuesday's paper. The editorial outlines some of the innovative projects going on around the state through the Minnesota Early Learning Foundation (MELF), as well as other state investments. 

One of our challenges is to show the legislature the big picture of how early childhood programming works for families. The legislature needs to see a broad system of early childhood care and education and to put resources into funding the whole system, not just bits and pieces for a few kids here or there. As Ready 4 K moves forward, one of our tasks is to simply show how this system works in Minnesota and how it can be improved.

What do you think? What do you see as important components of an early childhood system in Minnesota?

Exciting innovation in the Northland!

I returned Wednesday from a great little jaunt up to Grand Rapids. In case you're wondering, there's about two inches of snow on the ground, just enough to make everything winter-y beautiful! I was up there with other Ready 4 K staff to visit the Invest Early program. Invest Early works to provide a complete early childhood experience for children 0-5 and their families in Itasca County, Minnesota. Invest Early combines Head Start, School Readiness and child care into one streamlined program. Core services of the program are infant/toddler classrooms, preschool classrooms, parent education and health services. There are other services based on the needs of the family; including Adult Basic Ed, transportation, and wrap-around child care.

To me, one of the best things about Invest Early (aside from providing quality early learning for the community's youngest citizens) is the simple, stream-lined application form. This application is great because it makes things so easy for the families. They don't have to worry about filling out multiple, long, complicated forms. Then, the staff from Invest Early assess the applications and decide if the child will be designated as Head Start or School Readiness. Sometimes, families don't even know how their child is designated.

Invest Early is a great example of what Ready 4 K proposed in the 2007 legislative session as Early Childhood Community Hubs, part of our E-12 Linkages Bill. The goal is to have a simple, coordinated systems for families. Invest Early would not be possible without the support of the Blandin Foundation. The investment per child is significant, but Blandin is hoping to show that this early investment will make a difference in the Itasca area over the long-term. Blandin is working with Wilder Research on a longitudinal study of the program.

It was very exciting to talk with the leaders of the Invest Early program. One thing they stressed, though, is that this kind of collaboration does take a lot of time and a lot of trust among all the players. The good news is that it works!

To finish off the trip, we attended the Grand Rapids Thunderhawks versus the Cloquet-Esko-Carlton Lumberjacks boys high school hockey game. The teams tied 2-2 after a very exciting match-up (my first live hockey experience in Minnesota).

Happy Thanksgiving!

I have to admit, Thanksgiving is one of my favorite times of year. I love the warm light of candles, the smells and of course the food. I also love taking time to remember gratitude in my life. One of the wonderful things about holidays is remembering traditions from the past and establishing new ones. Check out this article by former Ready 4 K staff member Vicki Thrasher Cronin on being intentional about holiday traditions.

Crafts and projects are always a staple of the holiday season. Click here for a cute Thanksgiving turkey craft.

Have a wonderful holiday!

Pre-K programs... not just in schools

As I referenced in my post about the Growth & Justice education summit late last week, reported rates coming from the summit of Minnesota 4 year olds in Pre-K programs don't tell the entire story. The summit reported that Minnesota ranks 36th when it comes to 4 year olds accessing Pre-K. Ann Kaner-Roth, executive director of Child Care WORKS, wrote a letter to the editor printed in the StarTribune today. Child Care WORKS is a close partner and ally with Ready 4 K.

Parents of preschoolers might have been surprised by recent articles indicating that fewer than 2 percent of 4-year-olds in Minnesota access pre-kindergarten programs. This statistic is confusing in that it refers specifically to publicly sponsored school-based pre-kindergarten programs.

In fact, according to Wilder Research, 69 percent of preschool-age children in Minnesota are enrolled in licensed early care and education settings, although a tiny portion of those are publicly sponsored school-based programs. Read more...

It is true that Minnesota needs to do more to invest in early education. Ready 4 K believes the investment needs to be done in a way where parents can choose the right setting for their child, including community-based settings and family home care. To say that access Pre-K only happens in publicly funded school settings is limiting.

Growth & Justice Education Summit: getting more bang for the buck

On Monday Growth & Justice held a summit on education. Growth & Justice is a Minnesota-based think tank on economic issues. The StarTribune included an editorial based on the summit.

One of the main themes of the summit was the need to invest in early childhood education. Of course, the role investment in early education has in economic development is a major theme of Ready 4 K's work. It is amazing to think how far early childhood has come as an issue. Five years ago, when Ready 4 K was just getting started, a summit on education would have likely been focused primarily on k-12 and higher education. Now, people are beginning to talk more in terms of E-16 or P-16 to show how education needs to be a continuous stream from early childhood or preschool through college or university. It's a refreshing change to see. It reminds me that we are making progress in moving the issue forward and promoting the benefits of investing in the first five years, even though we have so far to go.

One of the startling things that was reported from the summit is that, according to research done by Dr. Arthur Reynods at the U of M, Minnesota is ranked 36th in the nation when it comes to children attending state pre-k programs.

A key priority is improving support for kids from birth to age 5. Only 1.9 percent of Minnesota 4-year-olds had access to prekindergarten classes in 2005, placing the state 36th in the nation on that measure. During the same year, Minnesota spent an average of slightly more than $283 per child for school readiness and $270 per child for Early Childhood and Family Education (ECFE) programs. Those expenditures don't measure up to Wisconsin, Michigan and Illinois -- all states that spend an average of $2,980 or more per child for prekindergarten programs.

These statistics are certainly startling. However, they only include children in state funding programs, which in Minnesota are School Readiness and ECFE programs in the public schools. While it is true that Minnesota has dramatically underfunded preschool education and we need to do much more in this area, more than 1.9% of Minnesota 4-year-olds attend pre-kindergarten classes. These pre-k classes take place in community-based settings where children are while their parents are working. Most child care centers have age-appropriate curriculum for 3 and 4 year olds where they are learning the skills needed for school success. To say that less than 2% of Minnesota 4-year-olds are in pre-k is misleading, it is just that they are not in settings directly funded by the state for pre-k.

That being said, we still need to do more. Minnesota needs to expand investments in early childhood education, wherever the children are. That is what Ready 4 K will continue to advocate for. I hope you'll join us.

Who Goes to Preschool and Why Does it Matter?

Earlier this month, the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) released a new policy brief, Who Goes to Preschool and Why Does it Matter?

Summary:
Preschool participation in the U.S. has been increasing steadily over the last four decades. By 2005, more than two-thirds of the nation's 4-year-olds were enrolled in a preschool program -- but who are these children? Where are they? This policy brief identifies factors that influence preschool enrollment, such as income, geography and ethnicity, and offers policy recommendations to address inequities in access.

View the full policy brief

At Ready 4 K, we believe that every child in Minnesota deserves access to a high quality early learning experience before kindergarten. Studies like this report from NIEER show that children who could benefit most from participating in a pre-kindergarten program are often the least able to access a quality program. As Ready 4 K prepares for the 2008 legislative session and looks to build for the 2009 session and the future, we will continue to advocate for more children to have access to pre-k programs and for parents to be supported in getting their kids ready for school.

Election day!

Today is election day in Minnesota for local offices including city councils and school boards. Many school districts also have local levies on the ballot. If you don't know where to vote, visit the Minnesota Secretary of State website or call 651-215-1440 or 1-877-600-8683. Polls are open from 7am to 8pm today.

If you're not registered yet, don't let that deter you. As long as you are over 18 and have been a resident of Minnesota for more than 20 days you can register to vote at the polls. Just bring a utility bill to confirm your address.

If you don't know what you'll be voting on, the StarTribune website has a handy MyVote site where you can find out who and what will be on your ballot before you head to the polls.

So, get out there and vote! Your voice matters!

The best time to talk to legislators

Here at Ready 4 K we've begun the process of preparing for the 2008 legislative session. This means that we're talking with our allies and developing a strong agenda that builds on our wins from the last session and works to make sure kids are ready to learn when they enter kindergarten. In addition to talking with our allies in the field, we are also meeting with legislators to let them know that we expect early childhood to again be a top priority in 2008.

You also can be meeting with your legislators right now and tell them you expect them be a champion for our youngest Minnesotans. In fact, this is the best time to talk to legislators. When they are not in session legislators are less rushed and have more time to listen. So, find out who represents you and sit down and hand-write a letter to your elected officials. Introduce yourself and let them know you're a constituent who cares about early childhood. Or, better yet, invite them out for coffee to talk about the importance of quality early learning for all. You don't have to be an expert, just speak from the heart. Ready 4 K has developed an advocacy toolkit to get you started, including a few talking points in case you need a reminder.

I'd love to hear how your conversations with legislators goes. Leave a comment or email and let me know.

And thanks for being a voice for our children!

10 Things to ask when choosing Pre-K

One of the most common questions we get here at Ready 4 K is, "What should parents look for when choosing an early learning setting for their preschoolers?" Parents and advocates ask because they know that having a quality early learning experience before kindergarten is so important, but identifying if a particular program is high quality can be daunting. That's why NIEER (National Institute for Early Education Research) has compiled a list of Top 10 Pre-K Questions for parents to ask as they search for high quality preschools.
For example:

1. Can I make an appointment to visit your program and spend time in a classroom?
What to look for: safe spaces with children comfortable and engaged in what they are doing, not easily distracted or wandering aimlessly; children seem happy, not distressed, bored or crying; adults are caring, sensitive (not harsh), responsive to children's needs and requests, and involved in what the children are doing by helping children solve problems, accomplish projects and learn; time and space for active outdoor and indoor play as well as quiet time. Children's voices dominate.

Click here to see the entire list. Is there anything else that you look for when choosing an early learning setting? Leave your comments below.

Minnesota Early Learning Foundation on NPR

October 26, 2007
All Things Considered on National Public Radio aired a story featuring Ready 4 K board members Art Rolnick and Chad Dunkley discussing early childhood scholarships being piloted by the Minnesota Early Learning Foundation (MELF). Ready 4 K was instrumental in creating the MELF in 2005.

From the report:
"Child development experts say high quality child care can help children avoid problems later in life — from low achievement in school to arrest records. The problem is that the children who need this care the most can't get to it..."

click here to read the full story and listen to the audio

Six Minnesota Communities Thrive

The Minnesota Thrive Initiative is piloting six sites in greater Minnesota to support the healthy social and emotional well-being of children birth to five. These six sites, one located in regions served by each of six Minnesota Initiative Foundations, have developed local teams working to develop networks of services in their communities and to raise awareness about healthy social and emotional development in children birth to five and especially children birth to three.

The Minnesota Thrive Initiative is possible through support from the Bush Foundation, The Jay and Rose Phillips Family Foundations, Medica Foundation, The Sheltering Arms Foundation, and the six regional Minnesota Initiative Foundations.

For more information visit any of the six Minnesota Initiative Foundations.

Born Learning Campaign reaches out to parents

The United Way of America continues to promote it's Born Learning campaign. This campaign is focused on helping parents, caregivers and communities to develop positive early learning opportunities for young children. Visit www.bornlearning.org for more information and resources.

MN researchers show investment is real

The StarTribune again published an editorial highlighting early childhood issues. This week the editorial featured the research that Minnesota researchers Arthur Reynolds and Judy Temple have done in conjunction with the Chicago Child Parent Centers. There are critics who argue that investments in early education do not last. Indeed, the research proves, the investments do last and are profound.

The investment aspect of providing quality early childhood experiences to our youngest Minnesotans is an important one. We know that when children experience quality early learning in their first five years it not only benefits the individual child and their family, but it benefits all of us.

Age 3 to Grade 3 model gets attention

The StarTribune published an editorial this week highlighting Age 3 to Grade 3 as an early childhood education model. Age 3 to Grade 3 (sometimes called PreK-3) is comprised of at least three parts: high quality early care and education, all day kindergarten, and curriculum and standards alignment through third grade with parent involvement throughout. Ideally, this would take place in one location and the staff would have consistent contact with the children for all 6 years.

Research shows that the PreK-3 approach can close the student achievement gap, reduce the need for special education services and increase the likelihood of a future educated and competitive workforce. An article by Bill Graves, PK-3: What is it and How Do We Know it Works? gives more detail about the PreK-3 approach.

Ready 4 K has been promoting PreK-3 as an innovation in early education and for closing the achievement gap. In the 2007 legislative session Ready 4 K proposed piloting PreK-3 models as part of a larger package for improving linkages between early childhood and K-12 education. See a summary of the proposed bill. Funding for these pilots was eliminated in last minute budget negotiations at the end of legislative session. Ready 4 K will again raise PreK-3 as a positive step toward our goal of ensuring kids in Minnesota are ready for kindergarten and ready for life.

Barefoot is best

An article in today's Star Tribune discussses the growing popularity of stylish shoes for baby and toddlers. But what's best for growing piggies? No shoes whenever possible and ones with flexible soles. The article also outlines what to look for when buying for baby.

And, if you want to see where other Twin Cities parents go for shoes check out the Cribsheet blog for a list of favorites.

Creating a baby genius

I'm not a parent yet, but have scanned my share of baby registeries to know that it usually contains a Baby Einstein product. Is this bad? Not at all. The boom to recognize the importance of learning from birth is an ideal we were founded upon and hold dearly. However, how much is too much when it comes to teaching our kids, and can a "product" really make a baby smarter? Adrienne Martini explores the subject of "Baby Geniuses" on Babble.com, a magazine and blog devoted to new parents.

We'd believe that it's the love and attention from parents that helps baby excel. What do you think -- do educational products make a difference in how smart kids are?

(By the way, have a fun and safe Independence Day!)

Farewell to our colleagues

Be well, do good work, and keep in touch. ~Garrison Keillor

This quote is fitting today as we say thank you and bid farewell to several of our colleagues – Chuck, Brad, Erik, Mai, Sara and Tim – who, through their work at Ready 4 K, improved the futures of thousands of our youngest Minnesotans. We will miss each of them and wish them luck on their next endeavors.

Parenting Q & A

With the Summer solstice occurring today, summer has officially begun. This means you're probably planning or packing for a summer getaway. As we all know, family trips are a great way to make lasting memories. Whether you're taking an 8 hour flight to another continent, or simply driving an hour north to visit your cabin, the last thing you want to listen to is your children chant "are we there yet?". This episode in Vicki's Parentin Q & A podcast series will give you strategies and suggestions for making the most of traveling with your children.


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MP3:> Parents as Teachers: Getting rid of the "Are we there yets?"

Early Childhood gaining momentum in Congress

While we here in Minnesota have been working hard to promote policies in our state legislature, early childhood issues are getting attention on the federal level. Sen. Clinton (NY) announced a pre-kindergarten proposal last month as part of her presidential campaign. This proposal would give $10 billion to give every 4-year old access to a pre-kindergarten experience. Currently, Sen. Clinton is drafting a bill to introduce later this year based on her proposal.

Also, Sen. Casey (PA) has introduced a bill, S. 1374, known as the "Prepare All Kids Act of 2007". From the bill summary, this act will assist states in making voluntary high quality full-day pre-kindergarten programs available and economically affordable for the families of all children for at least 1 year preceding kindergarten. The bill includes funds for infant and toddler programs, extended day and extended year programs, as well as eligibility for community-based programs such as Head Start and child care. Read Sen. Casey's remarks for more detail.

After you'd had a chance to read the bill, I'd love to read your comments. What do you think about the idea? How could it work in Minnesota?

At the water cooler...

Getting Minnesota's youngest citizens fully prepared for kindergarten doesn't just make logical sense, it makes a whole lot of business cents too. According to the Minneapolis Federal Reserve Bank, an investment in early education for at-risk kids can yield up to an 18% annual rate of return. Now you can help spread word of the importance and value of early childhood education in your place of business with these free posters. Or if nothing else, they'll give you something to talk about at the water cooler!

PDF:> View larger poster - boy
PDF:> View larger poster - girl
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Show states the money

Looks like Minnesota isn’t alone in the struggle to put dollars behind statewide early childhood initiatives. According to the June 6 Education Week article, “States Press Ahead on Preschool Programs,” across the nation Governors and policymakers have good intentions, but when it comes down to deciding how much to spend, where the money will come from or how it will be distributed delays abound.

MN State Fair unveils 2007 poster

The Minnesota State Fair released its official 2007 poster illustrated by St. Paul artist Michael Birawer last Friday. It’s an amazing collage of all the best from the fair and has got me seriously craving a bucket of Martha’s cookies. Only three months to wait. Don't forget Ready 4 K will join in the fun at the fair again this year. Bring your little ones to Carousel Park on Kids Day, Monday Sept. 3 (Labor Day) for our dress-up photo activity, “When I Grow Up…” That day we’ll also be hosting a Teddy Bear Picnic with the mega popular Teddy Bear Band from Noon to 1 p.m. Hope to see you there!

Say Yes, Now! video released

Say Yes, Now! is a new 10-minute video that encourages increased investment in high quality early care and education. The video does more than just give viewers a window into the styles and haircuts of years past...it shows how quality programs and highly trained teachers and staff can work to help young children develop the foundation for academic skills and the social and emotional skills they need to succeed in school, and beyond. Watch video below.



DVD order information

Parenting podcast series launched

We are really excited to launch our very own podcast. The Vicki's Parenting Q & A series is designed to make day-to-day experiences learning opportunities for parent and child. This episode focuses on the absence of nature in children's lives and what we as parents can do to re-engage our children with the great outdoors. Stream audio or download MP3 below.


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MP3:> Parents as Teachers: Nature Deficit Disorder

MN School Readiness Study Shows Progress

The Minnesota Department of Education released the “Minnesota School Readiness Study,” which tracks kindergarten readiness in physical development, the arts, personal and social development, language and literacy, and mathematical thinking.

The study, which involved 48 elementary schools, divides proficiency into three levels – not yet, in process and proficient.

Although I'm encouraged that more kids were deemed proficient in all 5 indicators of progress when compared to previous Minnesota School Readiness Assessments, there is still much more we need to do to make sure that every child enters kindergarten fully prepared.

PDF:> View the full report

Ready 4 K launches blog

Welcome! Here we are with our first blog post. Ready 4 K is a non-profit organization in St. Paul, MN dedicated to making sure all kids enter kindergarten fully prepared for learning success. Come back often for tips on getting your child school ready, our perspective on early childhood in the news, and a behind-the scenes look into the early care and education movement across the state. We welcome your comments and suggestions for future posts. Hope to see you again soon!