1. United Way Success By 6 Community Breakfast October 2008

2. United Way Success By 6 United Way Success By 6 Overview The period of life from birth to age 6 offers a crucial window of opportunity to establish a foundation for success in school and life. Children in this age group are dependent on their parents and/or caregivers to offer early learning experiences that prepare them to succeed in school. United Way Success By 6 looks to become a catalyst of change working with local partners to ensure children are entering school prepared to succeed. Our Plans Beliefs

3. United Way Success By 6 The first Sb6 initiative began in 1989 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. United Way of America has been providing a strategic framework and support to local United Way’s since 1997. Over 350 communities across the U.S. provide Sb6 making it the nation’s largest network of early childhood coalitions, focused on improving school readiness through community change. History of United Way Success By 6

4. United Way Success By 6 United Way of Etowah County started their Sb6 initiative in 2005. They continue sharing their strategies with us. The work done by the Blueprint for School Readiness Workgroup was a springboard for the Sb6 initiative. Special thanks to Gail Piggot and the Alabama Partnership for Children, Community Foundation of Calhoun County, and the Stringfellow Health Fund for making the “Blueprint” work possible. Launching United Way Success By 6

5. United Way Success By 6 Research shows that at birth all children have the same number of brain cells. The first four years of a child’s life will determine the child’s capacity to learn, adaptability in society, and emotional and psychological stability. 85% of the synaptic connections that form the child’s future take place during the first three years of life, and connections not made are lost forever. Readiness to Succeed in School & Life: DID YOU KNOW?

6. United Way Success By 6 Normal Healthy ChildChild with Sensory-Deprivation and Global Neglect CT scans from research by Perry and Pollard (1997). Note: Both children had an average head size (50 th percentile) at time of scan.

7. United Way Success By 6 *SOURCE: 1 – Nicholas Zill and Jerry West (2005). Entering Kindergarten: A Portrait of American Children When They Begin School: Findings from the Condition of Education 2004. U. S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. NCES 2001-035. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. 2 – Urahn, S. (2001). Promoting universal access to high quality early education for three and four year olds: The Pew Charitable Trusts and the Starting Early, Starting Strong Initiative. 46% of kindergarteners are coming to school at risk for failure. 1 Economically disadvantaged children enter kindergarten one to two years behind in language and other skills important to school success. 2 National Statistics

8. United Way Success By 6 *SOURCE: 1 – Montgomery Advertiser 2003. 2 – “Early Learning Left Out,” VOICES for America’s Children and the Child and Family Policy Center, 2004. About 82% of all Alabamians in prison are high school dropouts. It cost about $20,000 a year to house a prisoner. In comparison, a year of high-quality preschool costs about $4,800. 1 While 85% of a child’s brain development occurs by age three, less than 1% of public investments on education and development have occurred by that time in Alabama. 2 State of Alabama Statistics

9. United Way Success By 6 *SOURCE: 1 – pre[k]now, Votes Count: Legislative Action on Pre-K Fiscal Year 2009, September 2008. 2 – pre[k]now, Votes Count: Legislative Action on Pre-K Fiscal Year 2009, September 2008. Alabama budgets $17.4 million to pre-k programs (up 68% from last year). 1 Compare this to our neighbors: 2 Tennessee budgets $83 million Georgia budgets $337 million Florida budgets $356 million State of Alabama Statistics

10. United Way Success By 6 Quality Early Learning REDUCES Crime Rates Teenage Pregnancy Welfare Dependency Job Training Costs Special Education Cost Grade Repetition Quality Early Learning INCREASES Success in School Graduation Rates Workforce Readiness Job Productivity Community Engagement Why does quality early learning matter?

11. United Way Success By 6 4 Focus Areas for Calhoun County’s United Way Success By 6 1. Public Awareness 2. School Readiness 3. Parent Education 4. Early Learning Coalition

12. United Way Success By 6 Public Awareness Activities Participate in United Way of America’s national public awareness Born Learning campaign utilizing print materials, radio PSAs, and other national advertising. Develop a local communications and ad campaign focusing on the importance of early learning and the Success by 6 initiative. Distribute printed material to parents, caregivers, and child care workers focusing on tools and tips for ensuring child brain development. Objective Raise awareness on the importance of early learning among parents, caregivers, and policy makers prompting action to improve early childhood learning in Calhoun County.

13. United Way Success By 6 School Readiness Activities Enhancing reading skills by continuing to expand Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to ensure all children in Calhoun County ages zero to five have books to read. Also promotes parents engaging with their children by encouraging them to read to their child. Distribution of the School Readiness Calendar targeted at parents of 4-year-olds to ensure children are fully prepared to begin kindergarten. Objective To see all of our children equipped with the skills needed to be ready to learn once they reach kindergarten translating into a successful school career.

14. United Way Success By 6 Parent Education Activities Partner with and support current United Way Partner Agencies to help provide “parent education” programs such as Hippy (Family Links), First Steps (Concern for Children), and Parents as Teachers (Concern for Children). Possibly provide early learning workshops and training for day care providers. Objective Educate and motivate parents, relatives, caregivers, and child care providers to encourage early learning.

15. United Way Success By 6 Early Learning Coalition Activities Expand the United Way Success By 6 network by reaching out to Calhoun County and communicating the importance of early learning through its partnerships. Improve skills, increase knowledge, and share innovations among community leaders engaged in early learning to help us all advance on the early childhood development path. Objective Build a network of local, regional, and state coalitions working to mobilize resources and influence systems to increase school readiness.

16. United Way Success By 6 Education Corporations Parent Groups Neighborhoods Faith community United Way Agencies Networks Individuals Academia etc. Philanthropists Early Learning Coalition Government Associations Building a network of local, multi-sector individuals and organizations to help mobilize our community on behalf of young children and their families.

17. United Way Success By 6 Advancing the Common Good Success in Life Job Readiness Success in School Quality Early Learning

18. United Way Success By 6 Studies show that for every $1 invested in quality early learning, the return is anywhere from $7 to $17. 1 This investment prevents spending on special education and grade retention, teen pregnancy, welfare dependency, juvenile delinquency, arrests and incarceration. It will increase our workforce productivity, encourage a strong economy, and promote a strong tax base. *SOURCE: 1 – Based on studies from Elmira PEIP, Chicago Child-Parent Centers, and Perry Preschool Project.

19. United Way Success By 6 “The business community should support quality early learning programs because they lead to improved education results, a world-class work force, a healthier society, and ultimately a stronger economy.” ~ Joseph M. Tucci, the Business Round Table, President and CEO of EMC Corporation