Effective Business Partnerships for Early Education Symposium on “Early Childhood Education for the Future” Sara Watson Director, ReadyNation Executive Vice President, America’s Promise Alliance saraw@americaspromise.org ReadyNation is a project of

Lessons learned in mobilizing them Three points Business organizations are taking action across the country with public and nonproft partners Lessons learned in mobilizing them How ReadyNation can help you September 18, 2018

Early childhood on the business agenda September 18, 2018

Home-grown Business Coalitions for Early Childhood Diverse models: Multi-purpose biz organizations Stand-alone Affiliated with children’s groups Quasi-government Keys to success: Menu of actions – public and private Strictly business, nonpartisan image Cooperate with advocates – sometimes behind the scenes

One type of action – Supporting policy change Businesses Urged To Invest in Kids By Polly Summar Journal Staff Writer November 06, 2009 If New Mexico doesn't invest in human capital — the education of its children — it will see two inevitable results: External capital won't want to invest here, and “talented young adults in New Mexico will want to move out.” Those stinging words Thursday came from Robert H. Dugger, a financial manager who warned that the business community needs to get involved with state policies toward education. He spoke to some 200 New Mexico business and

Policy Results Virginia JobOne: In 2010 business leaders turned proposed cuts in home visiting into 25% increase; increased pre-k to reach 7% more children. New Mexico BRT: Enacted Early Care and Education Act in 2011; $14.3 million additional for early childhood in 2012. Colorado EPIC: Employer toolkit for family-friendly workplaces. Pennsylvania Early Learning Inv. Comm.: Created local scholarship fund for early learning centers. State funding on pre-k up per child rose The breadth and depth of business involvement in early childhood issues is growing and can have an impact at all levels of government. Funding +72% Children +38% National: From 2006 – 2011, state funding on pre-k rose from $3.2 billion, serving 942,000 children to $5.5 billion, serving 1.3 million children.

Second type of action – Support programs Partner With National Non-Profits Merck & Reach Out and Read: Employee Volunteer Reader Program in medical sites Use Topic Area Expertise National Grid’s STEM Kit for Teachers Partnered with Boston Children’s Museum to create a STEM teaching kit Kits are used in early childhood settings (family childcare, preschool, Head Start, etc.) Develop Creative Finance Tools The Erie’s Future Fund Scholarship fund for public and private, quality early learning centers Nebraska Early Education Endowment (Sixpence) $40 million from the state dept of ed/$20 million private Funds high quality 0-3 parenting and child care programs Reach Out and Read and Merck: In December 2011, The Merck Company Foundation awarded Reach Out and Read $35,000 to launch the Reach Out and Read New Jersey/Merck Employee Volunteer Reader Program. The Program was implemented in six stages: Reach Out and Read staff members selected 5-7 of their medical sites located near Merck facilities, and met with site personnel (clinicians, volunteer coordinators, etc.) to outline project goals. Reach Out and Read’s staff held Volunteer Information Sessions at Merck facilities, where employees learned about the early literacy mission. Partnering pediatricians led two Volunteer Reader Training sessions at Merck facilities. Employees were familiarized with the latest early literacy research and shown how to model dialogic (interactive) read-aloud techniques. Upon completion of training, each employee received a certificate. Staff placed Merck volunteers at medical sites convenient to where employees worked and lived. Each Merck volunteer committed to making 12 site visits over a 6-month period. Volunteers modeled sharing picture books with young children, and offered advice to parents on getting children excited about books. At the conclusion of the project, site personnel completed assessment questions measuring the effectiveness of the partnership. National Grid’s STEM Kit for Teachers National Grid has partnered with the Boston Children’s Museum to create a new teaching kit designed to improve teaching and learning of STEM among young children and their educators and childcare providers. Kits are primarily for use in early childhood in family childcare, preschool, Head Start settings; as well as in K0 and K1 public schools. National Grid uses its expertise in STEM to develop the teaching kit and assists with the training of teachers and distribution of kits to schools across Massachusetts. The kit is also used in workshops at the Boston Children’s Museum. September 18, 2018

Lessons Learned Know what you want before you engage business Neither rubber stamp nor War and Peace Meet them where they live Know what’s it in for them – many hooks, including industry-specific Good to hear messages from many quarters – professional associations and local leaders Don’t mix fundraising with advocacy No surprises September 18, 2018

How we can help Models of coalition design, business orientation to early childhood Best practices from other states Connections to peers from other states Materials you can adapt/brand Showcase for local champions and action National Business Summit on Early Childhood, Sept 22-23, Atlanta

New research/tools to make the economic case More than 20 research products: Economic benefits of nutrition, housing, health, etc. Economic development benefits of EC Communicating the brain science Size of youth human capital sector ROI of kindergarten readiness New: Short-term benefits New: Web page on Social Impact Bonds Coming soon: If you care about STEM, you should care about early ed: the case for high technology companies

Connections with others One-stop shop website Partnerships with national orgs – U.S. Chamber, NAM, CED, U.S. Hispanic Chamber E-newsletter to 4,000 members with successes, research, media Profiles of champions ReadyNation pledge – more than 600 names including James Heckman, Oklahoma CEO George Kaiser, former WV Governor Bob Wise