Speak Up About the Issues Impacting our Youngest Latinos!
Need some help?
Below are some ideas to help you shape and voice your own commitment to the issue of early childhood learning. The important part is that you reach out and speak up about the issues impacting our youngest Latinos.
Take Part in the Summit through the Private Sector Challenge
At a time of growing public and private sector engagement in early learning, corporate leaders, non-profits, foundations and private individuals can take action to drive new resources to early education and broaden the reach or deepen the quality of existing early learning services for our nation’s youngest children.
Promote New Commitments to Action
There is tremendous energy and momentum across the country in support of early learning, and communities are making real progress in expanding access to high-quality early learning programs and services for children.
- The Summit provides an opportunity to highlight successful public-private partnerships supporting early education while promoting new opportunities for action.
- Summit participants will have an opportunity to announce new commitments and actions that make meaningful and quantifiable contributions in the expansion and support of early learning.
Sample Commitments to Action
Private sector commitments consistent with the President’s early learning agenda can build on and accelerate federal, state and local investments in high-quality early learning. Examples of such commitments include, but are not limited to:
- Build the skills of the early learning workforce. Direct coaching and mentoring for preschool teachers, aligned with curriculum and assessment systems; scholarships or compensation associated with continuing education and training in early childhood education; training for principals and superintendents in early childhood development; and enhancements that bring compensation for early educators to parity with early elementary teachers.
- Build a continuum of high-quality early learning from birth to 3rd grade. New investments to continue early education programs and services beyond federal investments in home visiting, infant and toddler care, or preschool in a state or region. Public and private leaders can invest in infant and toddler services where a federal Preschool Development Grant is awarded, or in preschool where an Early Head Start-Child Care Partnership grant is awarded.
- Enrich early education experiences. Strengthened language and literacy instruction in preschool classrooms; mathematics and science learning opportunities; resources for comprehensive health and mental health services (e.g., screenings, early identification, and management of physical, behavioral, emotional, and cognitive developmental needs) and family engagement. Greater support for the transition from preschool to kindergarten. Parent education programs and other resources for caregivers and educators about the importance of adult-child interaction and talking, singing and reading with children in their earliest years.
- Promote equity in early education. Support for providers and policymakers to implement policies that eliminate suspensions and expulsions in preschools and child care centers that disproportionately impact children of color.
- Support early education infrastructure and facilities. Financing and facilities acquisition to expand the availability of high-quality early education, particularly in high-poverty neighborhoods with a shortage of quality programs.
- Promote innovation in early education. Pilots for innovative programs, technology and new approaches to early education. Support for research, evaluation and documentation to build the next generation of early education strategies and models.
I am more committed than I’ve ever been to the welfare of children. It’s true: we need to start earlier. But first, we need to speak up and be heard.
Join me. Speak up here. Do it today!
thank you