Building a State Campaign for Quality Preschool

1
Building a State Campaign for Quality Preschool

• The Council of Chief State School Officers
• Charleston, SC.
• October 26, 2005

2
The Arkansas Story

• Pre-K coalition formed 1999
• Regional Meetings, Public Opinion Polling,
  Message Development, Research, Legislative
  Advocacy Training
• Beer Tax 10 Million for pre-k
• Court case declared K-12 unconstitutional
• Inserted quality pre-k into discussions and
  recommendations to court

3
Outcomes

• Quality Pre-K for 3 and 4 year old children with
  family incomes under 200 of poverty.
• Any provider willing to meet quality
• Special priority funding to school districts in
  academic distress
• 60 million in new state revenues
• 18,763 preschoolers served in all 75 counties

4
Critical Elements

• Brought Key Players together to reach agreement
  on key issues
• Independent advocacy group lead effort
• Research, Message, Local Actions
• Broad Coalition business, education, pre-k
  providers, administration, parents
• Opportunistic
• Flexible adequate campaign funds

5
Our Education Allies

• Classroom teachers, superintendents, school
  boards, PTAs
• Early engagement then distracted by lawsuit
  issues (consolidation, funding, accountability).
• Communicated throughout the campaign but kept the
  pre-k issue separate from K-12.
• Made sure it was made a part of education reform
  recommendations
• Lobbied for the pre-k in legislative sessions
• Local schools were major beneficiary (62)

6
Challenges

• Collaboration between schools, Head Start,
  private providers, HIPPY/PAT
• Extended hours, extended year for working parents
• Pre-K is not kindergarten
• Outreach to children most in need
• Requires openness, sharing resources,
  flexibility, and courageous leadership

7
Opportunities

• The Research is Clear Quality Counts
• There is Widespread Public Support
• It Improves Education Outcomes
• Engages support of larger community
• Schools of the 21st Century
• Coordinated School Services Model