POLICY MATTERS: Early Childhood Policy Planning

1. POLICY MATTERS:Early Childhood Policy Planning Sharon Lynn Kagan, Ed.D. Kristie Kauerz, M.A. Tampa, Florida June 16, 2006

2. Policy Matters Project Based at the National Center for Children and Families, Teachers College, Columbia University 2006 Project team: Sharon Lynn Kagan Kristie Kauerz Kate Tarrant Funding provided by the Carnegie Corporation of New York

3. Overview of Presentation Purpose of Policy Matters � what makes it unique Policy Matters domains & sub-domains Policy Matters: The Three Phases Policy Audit and Goal-Setting Assessment of Political and Policy Landscape Crafting a Policy Agenda Proposed timeline for Florida

4. Purpose of Policy Matters Highlight and focus on state policy strategies that support an early childhood system that includes: Children birth to age 8 Both public and private providers Home, center, school, and community-based programs Statewide implementation

5. Purpose of Policy Matters Address the field-based gap between [a] Visions of an early care and education/early childhood system AND [b] Realities of fragmented policies that address the vision Convert long-term planning into concrete policy decisions

6. Policy Matters and System Work Quality 2000 Understanding the need for systems thinking Not by Chance Identifying the elements of the system Financing Project Determining the costs of a system Policy Matters Report (CSSP) Conceptualizing state policy benchmarks