Advocacy for Children Day celebrates early learning and gives parents, teachers, early care and education professionals, and communities from across the state an opportunity to come together and be a voice for Minnesota’s children.
As part of Way to Grow’s My Voice Matters initiative, led by the MinneMinds Coalition, our staff and members of families we serve rallied at the Capitol in support of equitable, child-centered, parent-directed, mixed delivery approaches to state policies affecting families and children.
The 2019 policy agenda of MinneMinds leads efforts to improve and support:
Quality: Parent Aware and Kindergarten Entry Profile
- Fully fund Parent Aware to continue the expansion of high-quality early learning programs throughout Minnesota with a priority on stronger recognition and incorporation of culturally relevant needs.
- Support and fund state-wide expansion and implementation of a culturally and linguistically relevant Kindergarten Entry Profile (KEP) via approved assessment tools.
Access: Early Learning Scholarships
- Support efforts to expand scholarships that meet the needs of low-income children from birth to 5 years old and prioritize children with the highest needs.
- Make early learning scholarships more flexible to ensure children and families have access to quality early learning.
Access: Home Visiting
- Increase access, flexibility, and funding for targeted home visiting programs.
- Increase collaboration and coordination among home visiting and early childhood providers to improve outcomes for families.
Access: Provider Pipeline and Workforce Growth
- Increase funding for grants, tax credits, and policies for early childhood providers.
Access: Childcare Assistance Program (CCAP)
- Support family and provider-friendly provisions of federal reauthorization and serve more CCAP eligible families.
- Ensure CCAP eligibility and access for families who are experiencing homelessness.
Way to Grow attendees received a tour of the Capitol, heard from legislators, experts in the education field, and other parents on the impact that early education has on their lives and our communities. Lastly, everyone in attendance was given a call to action and tips on how to contact their legislators when advocating for early education. Find those tips here, and to learn more about Way to Grow’s My Voice Matters initiative, contact Megan McLaughlin at 612-874-4740, or at mmclaughlin@mplswaytogrow.org.
