MESSAGING ON ECE AND BUDGETS AES BUDGET MESSAGING RETREAT January 27, 2014 Marci McCoy-Roth, True North

WHAT IS FRAMING? NHSA/Frameworks Webinar:

FRAMING AND ADVOCACY The literature of social movements suggests that the prudent choice of frames, and the ability to effectively contest the opposition’s frames, lie at the heart of successful policy advocacy.

LEVELS OF MESSAGE UNDERSTANDING Level One--Big ideas work to encourage support: prevention, community, prosperity Level Two—Issue types, like the preschools or child care Level Three--Specific issues, like universal preschool or QRIS

FRAMES MOST OFTEN USED IN EARLY YEARS MESSAGES Better outcomes (37) Investments (28) Collective benefit (20) Early years matter (19) School ready (10) Frames that are effective? Probably Collective Benefit and maybe investments and early years matter

EXAMPLES: COLLECTIVE BENEFIT Our nation's future depends on improving health and wellbeing of young children. Supporting child development—particularly from birth to five years—lays the foundation for a prosperous and sustainable society.

EXAMPLES: EARLY YEARS MATTER Baby's early experiences shape brain architecture for learning, health and future success. Early years in a child’s life—when the human brain is forming—represent a critically important window of opportunity to develop a child’s full potential and shape key academic, social, and cognitive skills that determine a child’s success in school and in life.

ELEMENTS OF SUCCESSFUL ECE MESSAGES

DON’T TALK ABOUT Parents and primary caregiver  little picture thinking. Narrowing gap  taking away from some to help others. Crisis  overwhelm and hopelessness. School readiness  we’re pushing children too soon; and  Schools aren’t working, we should start there first. Personal budgets  govt is inefficient and wasteful. Frameworks 2012:

DO Discuss ECE in terms of “prosperity” and “ingenuity” Discuss budgets in terms of “prevention” and forward exchange. Explain budgets through frame: Pay now, when the brain is laying the architecture it needs for later success, or pay more later. Use innovation to talk about what children need, the basics plus newer skills to help grow and join the 21 st century workforce Focus more on collective benefit. Frameworks 2012:

ENVIRONMENT PLUS CARE = SOLID KID  Good environments and interactions create solid brain architecture which means a “Solid Kid.” The “Solid Kid” becomes a building block of solid economies and communities.