Communicating the Early Childhood Message

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Communicating the Early Childhood Message

• National Governors Association
• Washington, D.C.
• September 10, 2001

zzzMarket Strategies, Inc.
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Start Early Learning Begins at Birth Campaign

• Parent and professional education
• Policy advocacy
• Public awareness

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Voices Process

• Select consultants
• Conduct research
• Develop message
• Implement campaign

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The Illinois Research Strategy

• Integrated research plan in early 2000.
  Bipartisan team.

• Focus groups with policy-attentive voters.

• Statewide benchmark poll in Feb. 2000.

• Advertising developed.

• Follow-up poll in May 2001, measuring opinion
  change and advertising exposure.

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Impact of the Early Years

• The first three years of life are seen as having
  an enormous impact on success in school, career
  and living a crime-free life. There is very
  little, if any, dispute about this in focus
  groups or surveys.

• People think as many as half of all children fall
  seriously short of their potential because they
  missed out on quality learning experiences in
  their first three years.

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A narrow majority believes birth to 3 is the most
important age for developing a childs capacity
to learn
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Perceptions of Child Care

• Typical child care seen as babysitting rather
  than true education.

• Using language such as early education helps.

• Widespread perception that kindergarten teachers
  can tell the difference between kids with a
  mother at home and those who have been
  warehoused in day care.

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The Values War

• Resentment at perceived materialism of modern
  dual-income families can be strong, especially
  among the older generation. Dumping kids in day
  care is an affront to their values and what they
  considered the role of parenthood.

• Important to avoid cues which trigger this kind
  of resentment. Keep focus on those who truly
  need it.

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Although two-thirds think kids are better off at
home with a parent full time, a narrow majority
(51) also believe two incomes are now a
necessity.
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Role of Government
Sense that government can and should be doing
more to improve the experiences of children in
the first three years of life. But

• Little consensus on how government should or
  could improve early care and education.

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Government Action

• Support is strongest for providing new parents
  with education and helping high school kids not
  become parents.

• Substantial support for improving child care
  facilities raising standards of workers, making
  child care more educational and increasing
  salaries.

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Government Inaction

• Some suspicion about putting birth-to-3-year-olds
  in the public education system.

• Full-day kindergarten is not seen as a high
  priority - or even necessarily desirable.

• Universal programs must be voluntary, and it is
  important to emphasize this.

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Illinois Voters Issue Agenda
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A plurality thinks public funds are best used to
improve learning experiences in elementary school
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Framing the Issue

• Frame the issue as helping at-risk children or
  preventing juvenile crime.

• Stress that early childhood programs complement,
  rather than supplant, traditional K-12 education.
  

• Present early childhood programs as a means of
  improving K-12 educational experiences.

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Resonance of Pro and Con Arguments
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Arguments as Drivers of Change
New brain research
.11
Help kids prepare for school, make society better
off.
.10
Support for State Doing More
-.13
Should just make sure kids are safe.
-.10
Give-away to irresponsible parents
Early Support (control)
Beta coefficients are a measure of the relative
strength of each driver. All are significant at
plt.05 level.
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Impact of Endorsements
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Message Development and Delivery

• Challenge Convince the public of the connection
  between the importance of a childs early years
  and the need for quality education during those
  years.

• Voices hires Zimmerman and Markman

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Statewide Ad Campaign

• TV ads
• Aired in 2000 and 2001 on network TV
• in Chicago and cable in five other
• markets
• Viewed by more than 6 million
• households
• Radio ads Two ads aired February-May 2001

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Statewide Ad Campaign
Print ads Featured local spokespeople police
chiefs, pediatricians, teachers, business leaders
Billboards Eight around state capital
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The Impact on Public Opinion
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Reported Exposure to Advertising
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What age is most important for developing a
childs capacity to learn?
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Increased Support for State Action
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If we want to improve the learning experiences of
children, what age is most important for
investing public funds?
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Making Progress in Illinois

• Governor creates Task Force on Universal Access
  to Preschool
• Focus Providing voluntary access for
• 3- to 5-year-olds
• Blueprint for implementation due
• January 2002

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zzzMarket Strategies, Inc. Political Research and
Consulting