As a professor, nurse, mom and policymaker, access to efficient, effective and equitable early childhood education is and has been an ongoing top priority of mine. Having a holistic and seamless birth-to-5 system for all children in all zip codes is paramount to our attaining actionable results and long-term, well-being and economic health for communities.

In Delaware, we recognized that we needed to consolidate early childhood programs that were fragmented across multiple divisions of the state. This fragmentation caused confusion for parents and providers. Research supports that an easy-to-navigate and streamlined early childhood education system is more efficient and impactful for children, families and early learning professionals.

We knew the current system could be strengthened, so beginning in 2019, the Administration undertook efforts to consolidate Delawareā€™s early childhood education system. We first moved the Office of Child Care Licensing to the Department of Education to join the Office of Early Learning. We then created an Associate Secretary role to have a singular leader over this work. We are now working on the movement of Part C from our Department of Health and Social Services over to DOE, to continue to streamline early childhood governance and services. We are excited about this continued work.

2. In 2021, you became chair of the Delaware Office of Early Learning Advisory Committee which supports the Delaware Department of Education’s newly formed Early Childhood Support Team. In what ways does the advisory committee aim to support and improve early educational efforts?

I am honored to be the chair of the Advisory Committee, which aims to support the recently formed Early Childhood Support Team. This team includes both the Office of Early Learning (OEL) and the Office of Childcare Licensing (OCCL), which relocated to the Department of Education from a different state agency. Under the helpful guidance of the Hunt Institute, the committee brings together a variety of perspectives, including state lawmakers, agency leaders, early childhood professionals, and business and community representatives. We have heard from national leaders, explored best practices and provided the department with feedback on goals.

Ultimately, we hope that by bringing the oversight of these programs together we can not only achieve greater efficiency and alignment, but also create strong support systems for Delaware’s young children, families and educators. The first 1,825 days of a child’s brain health and development are critical. Eliminating unnecessary barriers and creating a more navigable system will help ensure that we don’t lose a single one of those days.

3. Delaware recently announced a significant investment of over $120 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) relief funds to support Delaware’s child care industry. How do you envision this investment supporting Delaware’s child care workforce?

Over the past two years, it became clear to our administration that Delaware’s child care providers needed greater support, as they have stepped up and supplied the essential care and services so many families and frontline workers desperately needed throughout the pandemic.

As we recognized the critical role the childcare workforce has played in sustaining Delaware’s economy, I am delighted with our recent decision to allocate over $120 million ARPA dollars to strengthen the childcare industry. This great investment will go towards Child Care Stabilization grants and direct financial relief to Delaware’s child care workers who rightly deserve our support. These relief funds will not only help our providers keep their doors open but will help pay and retain the child care workforce while increasing resources available to Delaware’s children and families.

We know that children need stable, reliable care, and by prioritizing our workforce, we are in turn ensuring parents can participate in the workforce and that children have access to the high-quality early learning experiences they need. I am grateful that we can assist not only our current workforce but also drive great changes in our early childhood system for years to come. It is my hope that these professionals feel respected and know that as leaders in Delaware, we appreciate their hard work and care about their well-being.

4. Additionally, your administration just supported the creation and launch of the Early Childhood Innovation Center, to be housed at Delaware State University. How will this support and expand equitable pathways to the early childhood profession?

We are excited to support new initiatives that will bolster Delaware’s childcare industry. Delaware State University, in partnership with the state Department of Education and Department of Health and Social Services, will work together over the next five years to establish the Early Childhood Innovation Center (ECIC). This center will offer a substantial boost to Delaware’s current and future child care workforce. The goal of ECIE is to develop a statewide infrastructure to help Delawareans enter the child care workforce through unique pathways and provide professional credentials and career advancement opportunities.

The ECIC also plans to create a scholarship program to support those that are interested in accessing early childhood degree programs and furthering their education. With the creation of the center, we are working to ensure more teachers are equipped with the tools needed to effectively serve Delaware’s young children and prepare them with the skills needed to be successful in kindergarten and beyond.

5. As you often mention, the first five years of life are critical to a child’s development and a good education is one of the central pillars for a stronger Delaware. What is your greatest hope for Delaware’s youngest children in the coming years?

As a mother, nursing professor and policymaker, I am proud of our state’s commitment to supporting the well-being of our children and families. With our continued focus on strengthening the early care and education system, it is my greatest hope that all young Delawareans have access to the services and resources they need to have a solid educational foundation.

Equitable investments in our state’s educational and health systems today will ensure that all children and families in the future are successful across their lifespan. In collaboration with the Hunt Institute administration, task force members and grassroots leaders, we are dedicated to creating a stronger and healthier Delaware.

Note: The photo above was taken before the pandemic.

As we all know, our future depends on the well-being of our children, and the education system is just one of the ways we can improve individual lives as well as invest in Utahā€™s overall economic success.

Initiatives such as funding equity and increasing pay for teachers are critical for our stateā€™s economy since they not only attract talent to the profession, they increase the retention of great teachers and ensure that students throughout the stateā€”specifically those in lower-income districtsā€”are prepared to continue their post-secondary education and enter the workforce. Weā€™re also creating new partnerships with the private Ā sector to help provide job training, apprenticeships and exposure for our middle and high school students to a range of career options.

We hope these initiatives will also help build a more diverse workforce and provide students with teachers who share their cultural background. We know having diverse role models helps children perform better in school settings.

2. The administrationā€™s first 250 days in office saw many successes, including a process to identify pandemic-related learning gaps and a fiscally responsible use of federal funds to Ā address COVID-19-related learning disparities. During this school year, how will these achievements continue to support the education system?

We have taken steps to ensure our students started off on the right foot this school year by identifying and overcoming learning and equity gaps through summer and afterschool programs, tutors and other strategies. We will also continue to have a particular focus on expanding broadband access to rural and underserved areas throughout the state.

We were grateful to have most of our students attend in-person instruction for much of the last school year, and we continue to ensure as much in-class time as possible for our students going forward. In addition, our state had a relatively high percentage of students participate in statewide assessments at the close of the last school year. Leaders at the Utah State Board of Education are in the process of assessing the available data that will allow Ā Ā Ā schools and districts to really hone efforts toward students who have felt the academic impact of COVID-19 most significantly.

3. Under your leadership, the state has made great strides to improve state government efficiency, including the restructuring of state agencies and hiring a new chief innovation As governance continues to be a leading conversation in early childhood education, how do you see your efforts in government efficiency complementing the early Ā childhood system of Utah?

As we work to streamline and modernize state government, our office is committed to supporting parents and caregivers of Utahā€™s youngest children by being responsive and improving their experience when interacting with various state agencies.

The Governorā€™s Early Childhood Commission, in conjunction with consolidation work taking place within state departments, is working to evaluate and consolidate services for families and students in their early years. The focus has been to improve efficiency, productivity and customer service from the state, private and nonprofit organizations that provide early childhood services in Utah. This work will provide better access and expand optional high quality early learning and extended-day kindergarten options we have available for every child.

4. The One Utah Roadmap outlines your policy priorities and campaign promises, including economic advancement and education innovation. Recognizing the challenges faced by the early childhood workforce at all levels of the system, how have stakeholders been engaged in the priorities and strategies of the Roadmap?

Our community stakeholders have been instrumental in developing the goals and strategies of the Roadmap from the beginning. In fact, more than 100 community leaders from across the state helped draft the policy suggestions and priorities in the Roadmap, and we continue to share information and update state officials and the public at large as we make progress. We appreciate all the time and commitment our stakeholders have given to support this effort.

Regarding advancements in Utahā€™s workforce, I am excited to share that we have implemented 17 new programs to support our workforce through more training and upskilling options in an effort to help workers secure better jobs. We are also working to provide more support for our childcare offices and, as mentioned, we are working to improve teacher compensation in the state.

5. Your vision for Utah includes the statement: ā€œBe a state where residents are happy, safe, healthy and ā€ What is your greatest hope for children in your state?

Our children deserve the highest-quality education and every opportunity to succeed in life. We will continue to work hard to make sure schools in every area of the Ā state are well-funded, that we attract and keep the best teachers and that we provide knowledge and skills that prepare students for life.

Research has long shown the positive impact of high-quality early education on long-term development, growth and achievement. And, the earlier children are first engaged, the greater the benefits become.

A recent study released by NIEER found that New Jerseyā€™s high-quality Abbott preschool programs had demonstrable positive effects on students through 10^th grade. The benefits of those early educational experiences not only help young children, but continue into adolescence, helping us make significant strides in ending gaps in academic achievement and proficiency.

Further, the pandemic has brought the necessity of reliable and high-quality child care to the forefront of our stateā€”and nationā€™sā€”attention. By ensuring accessible and affordable child care, we can support sustainable economic growth for families.

2. Your office has proposed and enacted significant increases in early childhood funding, helping to make early childhood services accessible to thousands of additional children. What have been the keys to your success?

First and foremost, a close focus on ensuring equity and providing programs to underserved communities has been a key strategy and guiding principle of our Administrationā€™s expansion of pre-K programs.

At the same time, our administration has strived to build on our success, year after year, learning as we grow and annually increasing the number of new pre-K programs that have been able to open their doors. This targeted and phased-in approach has ensured that new programs have the resources they need while we assess the need for future expansion. In three years, the state has successfully provided over 6,600 new seats for three and 4-year-olds in over 100 districts.

3. You made several references to New Jerseyā€™s youngest citizens in your State of the State address, including points on ensuring children have access to academic and social-emotional supports and affordable child care. How do you see these priorities complement your overall agenda for New Jersey?

Building a stronger and fairer New Jersey starts in childhood, by ensuring every child has access to the tools needed to achieve success ā€“ academically, socially, emotionally and economically.

By creating equity in access to safe and supportive environments that promote the development of resilience, as well as access to learning supports and valuable time with peers and other adults, we are setting every childā€”and our stateā€”on a path to success.

4. New Jersey has successfully reduced child care subsidy co-payments for families by 50%, increased subsidy payments to providers and invested over $100 million in new resources to support child care. Why is child care critical to the prosperity of New Jersey?

Before COVID, our Administration was already investing heavily in our child care sector to improve accessibility and affordability. During COVID, it became even more obvious how essential this industry is to the health of our economy. We therefore invested an additional $300 million to both stabilize the industry and help families access care despite increased needs.

For any family with working parents, high quality, accessible and affordable child care not only has significant positive impacts on the children who attend, it is necessary to help parents get to work.

High quality child care is also a vital opportunity to support childrenā€™s development outside of the pre-K to 12 school system, supporting their mental health, academic achievement and social development as early as possible.

We also know the particular importance of accessible, affordable and reliable child care for single parent families, especially for working moms, who need to be able to provide for their families and have the peace of mind of knowing their children are safe.

5.Ā  Looking forward to a post-pandemic future, what is your greatest hope for the children and families of New Jersey?

My greatest hope is that we continue on this path of building a stronger and fairer New Jersey for everyone.

The pandemic has laid bare so many long-standing inequities across our country. Iā€™m proud of the investments we have made in New Jersey to not only address the immediate needs from COVID, but also to ensure we are continuing our investments in long-term solutions that will continue to improve the lives of New Jerseyans from birth onward.

New Jersey has made so many great strides toward being the best place to have and raise a family ā€“ for every family. From creating a universal home visiting program, to improving access to affordable child care, to consistently expanding access to quality pre-k, to having the number one rated public schools, to creating opportunities for free community college, to increasing access to affordable and reliable health care including mental and behavioral health care, to improving transportation and affordable housingā€¦the list of unparalleled benefits to living and raising a family in New Jersey truly goes on and on.

Our goal is to ensure every family has access to those benefits.

Iā€™ve always said that whatā€™s best for our kids is whatā€™s best for our state, and that means making sure every kid has access to a high-quality public education, from early childhood to our universities and technical colleges. It also means making sure our kids have the mental health support they need to be successful both in and out of the classroom, lead full lives and take advantage of all the opportunity here in Wisconsin.

The coronavirus pandemic has hit folks especially hard, so as we continue our work to bounce back from the coronavirus pandemic, supports for mental health are even more critical for our state. Initiatives, like the ā€œBeyond the Classroomā€ grants, ensure young folks get the care they need by funding learning opportunities and mental health programs for school-aged kids in our state.

2. Wisconsin is one of six states selected to collaborate with the National Governors Association (NGA) on strategies for equitably addressing the social-emotional needs of children and families during and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. Why is the area of social-emotional development a priority for you and the state? How do you see this effort contributing to childrenā€™s success in school and life?

First Lady Evers and I are thrilled to have the opportunity to work with the NGA on finding new, equitable strategies for supporting Wisconsin kids and families. One of the best ways we can set our kids up for successā€”at home, in our classrooms and for their futuresā€”is by ensuring they know how to recognize, talk about and manage emotions in a healthy, positive way.

And the pandemic has further underscored the need for comprehensive, whole-child approaches to education that are grounded in learning and development best practices and data-driven strategies. Social and emotional learning is a critical tool in these efforts, and thatā€™s why itā€™s been a priority of ours as we work to ā€˜connect the dotsā€™ and take a holistic approach to supporting our kids. The grant funding provided by the NGA will allow us to further explore social and emotional learning strategies, benefit from NGA’s expertise, and increase the mental, social and emotional well-being of kids and families in our state.

3. The Badger Bounceback agenda aims to do whatā€™s best for kids, providing all children access to high-quality public education, mental health supports at schools, expanding access to early childhood education and child care, and investing in higher education. In what ways do you see these investments as critical to the prosperity of Wisconsin, especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and concern for learning loss?

I said it before, but it bears repeating: what’s best for our kids is whatā€™s best for our state. Thatā€™s why I made education and childcare a top priority in my 2021-23 budget proposal, and itā€™s why Iā€™m committed to ensuring our kids, schools and families have the support and resources they need to bounce back better than ever from this pandemic. Investing in education, from early education to high school to our colleges and universities, will ensure our kids and Wisconsinites across the state are prepared and have the skills and knowledge they need to compete and succeed in a 21st century economy. And given the challenges of the past year, these investments are more important than ever, not just for students, but for educators, staff and school administrators as well.

4. In March, you announced an innovative state plan to support early care and education providers, partners and Wisconsin families. Phase Two of this plan incentivizes private sector partnerships by offering funding to businesses to purchase infant and toddler child care slots for their employees. What was the basis to such an innovative strategy, and how do you see this complementing the work that supports children ages three to five?

My priority as governor is to ensure Wisconsinites and their families have the support they need to thrive, especially as we continue to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. Wisconsin Department of Children and Families Secretary Emilie Amundsonā€™s and my goal with our two-phase plan to use the Child Care Development Block Grant award our state received was to do just thatā€”help set Wisconsin families up for success by giving them additional resources to secure access to affordable, quality care. Itā€™s just common sense to engage and support private-sector partnership in this effort, which is why we prioritized that in phase two of the plan, along with investing in workforce development and accessibility.

5. How has your experience as a life-long educator contributed to your work as Governor? What are you biggest hopes for Wisconsin children and families?

Of course. I spent most of my career in educationā€”beginning as a science teacher many years ago in Baraboo, Wisconsinā€”and thatā€™s, frankly, why I decided to run for governor in the first place. I saw what was happening to our kids and our schools and wanted to do something about it.

And since having been elected governor, education has always been a central focus of my work because, for me, it always comes back to our kids. Throughout my career, itā€™s been clear to me that investing in our kids is the best investment our state can make, and it will pay dividends for our stateā€™s future and our economy. And now, as we continue working to put this pandemic behind us, itā€™s more important than ever that we invest in Wisconsin kids and families.

I proposed significant investments in our kids and our schools in our most recent budgetā€”we got some of what we wanted, like ensuring two-thirds state funding for our schoolsā€”but we didnā€™t get nearly as close to where Iā€™d like us to be when it comes to meaningfully investing in public education in our state. So, while the budget that was passed recently did not include everything I asked and hoped for, I wonā€™t stop fighting to do whatā€™s best for Wisconsinā€™s kids.

We have come a long way in education, and we have focused on how to prepare students for rewarding careers. K-12 education funding has increased by more than 30%, at over $15 billion per year. It has grown to represent more than half of our state operating budget.

We created Career Connect for students in high school and college to get work experience with Washington employers and get credit for their diploma or postsecondary program at the same time. We now have more than 10,000 students participating in these programs.

With the new Washington College Grant, we have made state financial aid a free tuition program for more students than ever before. Weā€™re currently serving about 97,000 students with this program. We also invested over $2 billion for salary increases for educators and expanded health care coverage for educators. We funded four days of training for ā€”the first state to do thisā€”and expanded programs to increase the diversity of our educator workforce.

We have invested in climate education with some great programs that connect what is happening in the climate to their local communities. We are expanding our mental health workforce in schools to give students the support they need.

2. Washington State currently provides a number of high-quality early learning programs that prevent child abuse and neglect, and prepare children for kindergarten. You have made expansion of early learning a top priority, doubling the number of children in early learning programs since 2013. In what ways do you see this priority of early childhood contributing the overall success of the state?

High-quality early learning programs, particularly our preschool programs, have demonstrated their success in different ways. Not only do they promote overall well-being and prepare children for kindergarten, they support parents on the path to greater economic security for their families. Investments in high-quality early childhood also benefit local communities and society at large by reducing the need for more expensive interventions later. Research demonstrates participation in high-quality early learning programs can help children avoid special education, grade repetition, teenage parenthood and incarceration. In addition, parents who participate in early childhood programs with wraparound supports, such as mobility mentoring, are more likely to remain employed over the long term.

3. In 2018, the culmination of a two-year effort to transform the way Washington serves at-risk children and families resulted in the launch of the stateā€™s new Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF). How has this alignment helped support children and families, especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic?

DCYF is still very much in the process of integrating the various program areas that were merged to create the agency. This work will take time and should be approached thoughtfully. Early on, DCYF created a single list of disqualifying crimes and negative actions for both child welfare and early learning/child care licensing. DCYF engaged in a yearlong process to develop the list, resulting in eliminating crimes that do not impact child safety, permanence or well-being. The new list removes some barriers for relatives and other suitable persons to provide care for children and helps to keep more families together.

Another early effort focused on engaging navigators to assist child welfare-involved families with finding and enrolling in high-quality early learning services. Early learning navigatorsā€”who have expertise in both the child welfare and early learning systemsā€”help address a service referral gap by working alongside caseworkers to ensure interested child welfare-involved families successfully start in services. Since the pilot began, the agency has seen a 65% increase in the proportion of children referred to, assessed for or enrolled in an early learning program.

With respect to pandemic-specific family supports, when K-12 classrooms closed, DCYF was able to more easily coordinate access to school-age child care and in-home tutoring supports for foster and kinship caregivers who needed this level of support for the children in their care. Early in the pandemic, DCYF was able to quickly work with contractors and allow flexibility in how services were delivered, with a focus on preventing family isolation and the attendant risks created by the pandemic.

4. The 2019-21 biennial budget boosts the stateā€™s early learning system with a 6% rate increase to help improve pay for providers in the state early learning program. How do you see investments like this contributing to the understanding of the importance early childhood education plays?

Since the establishment of the Department of Early Learning back in 2006, weā€™ve seen a lot of growth in awareness about early brain development and the importance of getting it right in the early years. The recent passage of the Fair Start for Kids Act is a historic investment in both early learning and child care, and itā€™s a great example of how our understanding about the importance of early childhood has advanced over the past few decades.

5. As you reflect on Washingtonā€™s initiatives for early childhood care and education, what makes you most proud of stateā€™s support for children? What are your goals for this work moving forward?

Our state is home to some absolutely amazing advocacy coalitions and philanthropic organizations, and they have been key partners over the years in raising awareness about the need for and the value of investing in our stateā€™s youngest residents. Iā€™ve also met some outstanding parent advocates who have first-hand knowledge of the benefits of ECEAP and Head Start, and their participation in both advocacy and policy development adds tremendous value to the work.

Since 2013, Washington has increased the number of Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP) enrollment slots from fewer than 6,000 to nearly 15,000 slots, with the longer-term goal of funding the program as an entitlement. ECEAP is Washington’s pre-kindergarten program that prepares 3- and 4-year-old children from families furthest from opportunity for success in school and in life.

The COVID-19 pandemic has delayed our progress somewhat, but we remain committed to funding the entitlement by the 2026-27 school year. In the meantime, DCYF continues to partner with school districts and the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction to explore options for aligning all the high-quality, early learning programs administered by the agencies.

Iā€™m also proud to see the near completion of a child care center on our state capital campus. Quality child care should be available and affordable for all working parents and having a child care center near the workplace will encourage prospective employees to view the state as an employer of choice. Iā€™m looking forward to seeing this model replicated by other employers in Washington.

Goals moving forward? I would like to more clearly define the ECEAP entitlement so that we can better prepare for and implement the entitlement, which is scheduled to take effect in the 2026-27 school year. Clearly defining the entitlement is critical to understanding and meeting our capital and workforce needs, gauging demand for enrollment and being able to braid different preschool funding streams in order to increase access to high-quality preschool for all of Washingtonā€™s children. There is significant potential to raise the quality of preschool for children receiving special education services and to increase overall access to preschool in rural and remote areas of the state.

With the investments and policy advancements contained in the Fair Start Act, we have a lot of implementation work on the horizon. I have every confidence Washington will be successful.

First Lady Susan Hutchinson and I have a strong commitment to protecting children, strengthening families and improving outcomes. We share the belief that every child in Arkansas deserves a safe and stable nurturing family every day. With four children and six grandchildren, family is an essential part of our life, and child welfare reform has been a big part of my administrative focus. The first lady has also been very involved with the Arkansas Childrenā€™s Advocacy Centers where professionals from a variety of agenciesā€”child protection workers, law enforcement officers, mental health providers, advocates and prosecutorsā€”join forces to ensure child victims are receiving the essential services and referrals, as well as tracking the progress of the criminal cases.

When I took office in 2015, the child welfare system in Arkansas was facing a troubling crisis with a steady increase of children being placed into an overloaded system with high staff turnover. With stakeholder involvement, I commissioned a broad review of the Division of Child and Family Services within the Department of Human Services. The evaluation recommendations became the driving force for improving outcomes and shaping a major child welfare reform within Arkansas to move beyond the crises.

For the past six years I have supported the efforts to improve outcomes for children and families by directing a focus on main areas: strengthening families, improving foster care for those who need it, and strengthening the workforce.

I am proud of the efforts we have and the improvements within the system. On Oct. 1, 2019, Arkansas became one of the first states to implement the Family First Prevention Services Act (Family First) growing our service array for families whose children remain in the home. In September 2020, Arkansas joined the National Partnership for Child Safety as we aim to improve the quality of internal child fatality and near fatality reviews by implementing safety science to help foster worker safety and assist in gathering quality information from the review process. This will allow Arkansas the opportunity to share data with other jurisdictions and collaborate to develop strategies to improve safety and prevent child maltreatment-related fatalities.

Lastly, during the 2021 legislative session, the Arkansas legislature with my support passed several bills to advance child welfare in our state. First, a bill to create the . This task force will include a multidisciplinary membership with the purpose of developing a systematic and holistic approach to eliminate child abuse in the state. Addressing primary and secondary prevention efforts, and improving prevention networks and partnerships. Secondly, a CAC bill that will provide added training opportunities for local multidisciplinary teams, improved stakeholder communication and greater oversight by the legislature. Both pieces of legislation will help ensure we increase areas of accountability among all agencies that are responsible for the care and well-being of our most vulnerable children.

2. From the funds Arkansas is receiving from the American Rescue Plan Act, describe some activities Arkansas is planning to improve early childhood education.

Early childhood education in Arkansas continues to benefit from the federal stimulus funds. In 2020, Arkansas received $160 million from the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations (CRRSA) Act which allowed us to supplement child care vouchers, reimburse providers for deep cleaning, provide essential worker child care assistance and deliver provider maintenance payments quarterly beginning in February 2021 until the relief funding is exhausted. Provider maintenance funding is based on licensed capacity of child care centers and their Better Beginnings quality level, a system designed to improve the level of quality in child care and early childhood education programs across the state. Better Beginnings distinguishes the quality of each Arkansas childcare facility by a 1-, 2- and 3-star rating system.

Arkansas will now receive $464 million from the American Rescue Plan (ARP), $178M for essential worker families and $286 million for child care stabilization.The $178 million from the American Rescue Plan Act will only be used for essential workers through September 30, 2024.

Arkansas has identified 7, 934 essential worker families in our state that we will be able to assist through 2024, providing free child care to eligible families. Currently DHS is serving 11,378 children from 7405 eligible families in the regular Child Care Development Funds with no waiting lists. The ARP funds will allow us to add additional eligible families without regard to income.

The $286 million for child care stabilization will allow Arkansas the opportunity to invest in stabilizing and supporting excellence in child care and early childhood education. By funding Teacher Education and Compensation Helps (T.E.A.C.H.), Arkansas will provide access to higher education for early childhood educationteachers, directors and family child care providers working with young children.

The T.E.A.C.H. program was developed to upgrade the level of education of teachers working with young children while making the educational process affordable, increasing wages and reducing turnover. This investment will impact the Arkansas workforce by creating a real-time child care search for families that will allow providers to update their actual availability and also support multiple programs that connect families with child care resources, and promote preschool programs.

Arkansas has identified common expectations for what children typically know,understand and are able to do at different ages.These standards are designed to assist in developing age-appropriate learning goals for children, to support developmentally appropriate curriculum and assessment, and to outline a progression of development and learning that supports success in school and in life.

Arkansas will use ARP funds to continue to provide families resources for the Birth through 60 Months program, as well as the Arkansas Better Chance (ABC) programs and the ABC Early Childhood Ready for Learning teams that work to assist preschool readiness.

3. , the Reading Initiative for Student Excellence, has set the goal to increase the number of students in grades 3-8 who meet the reading readiness benchmark by 10%. How do you see early childhood education complementing this initiative?

The Reading Initiative for Student Excellence (RISE) continues to be a huge success in our state as it encourages a culture of reading by coordinating a statewide reading campaign with community partners, parents and teachers to establish the importance of reading in homes, schools and communities. The Division of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) is in the process of developing rules to support public school districts and open-enrollment public charter schools that are required to include a literacy plan in the annual school improvement plan. Promoting early childhood learning readiness through literacy is a top priority in Arkansas.

Since 2017, Arkansas has trained 200 specialists to be K-2 RISE trainers and 240 specialists to be grades 3-6 RISE trainers. In the course of four years, we have trained almost 19,000 teachers and still continue to expand our efforts. When the COVID-19 pandemic sent teachers home in the spring of 2020, Arkansas successfully pivoted and began offering stand-alone education days to students, which could be offered virtually. We also partnered with our state network of Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), operated by the Arkansas Educational Television Network (AETN) and broadcasted early elementary-intermediate elementary curriculum via ArkansasPBS. These efforts were available through a statewide broadcast, which we used CARES act funds to strengthen, or online through a website which is also used by teachers across the state. In addition, the Arkansas Department of Education continues to train teachers in RISE through the Arkansas PBS Science of Reading series, an online way for teachers to achieve phase one of a proficiency pathway.

On Oct. 1, 2019, the Arkansas Division of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) was awarded a federal Comprehensive Literacy State Development (CLSD) grant from the US Department of Education. Identified as the Successful Outcomes for Arkansas Readers (SOAR), 95% will be sub-granted to school districts with at least 15% of the grant funds serving children from birth through kindergarten and 40% serving students in kindergarten through grade 5. The evidence-based Science of Reading will be implemented through the RISE curriculum.

Our Pre-K RISE initiative will launch in July 2021, through DESE, and will increase the focus of early childhood education by providing high-quality literacy curriculum and professional development for early childhood educators. When we focus on increasing teachersā€™ instructional knowledge and skill development for early literacy instruction, we instill learning pathways for our young children. Through Pre-K RISE, we have the opportunity to provide equitable access across the state to developmentally appropriate early childhood instruction grounded in the science of reading. Providing research-based instruction in early childhood programs will prepare children to be successful in kindergarten and ultimately impact third grade reading success and beyond.

4. Your leadership on computer science education has garnered national recognition for your state from many sources: from the White House to tech companies. How do initiatives like this help to promote a holistic understanding of education in Arkansas?

Each governor, as he or she comes into office, brings priorities that they want to emphasize within the limited time they have. Being on the precipice of the fourth technological revolution, I saw a real opportunity to effect meaningful and long-lasting change in Arkansas early in my 2014 gubernatorial campaign.

Arkansasā€™s Computer Science and Computing Initiative, which in 2015 became a focus of my administration and remains a top priority of education and economic work within our state agencies, has redefined what Arkansas studentsā€”kindergarten through collegeā€”are expected to be taught, learn and experience throughout their education. Our K-8 embedded computer science and computing standards and our recently redesigned high school computer science and computing courses and pathways, include traditional areas of computer science such as programming, networking, computer engineering and cyber security, but also address emerging and high-growth fields such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, data science, mobile application development and game development and design.

And beyond K-12, Arkansasā€™s postsecondary institutions are growing their opportunities and options for both traditional four- year university degrees and two-year collegiate programs and certifications.

We envision computer science impacting early childhood education by the K-8 computer science and computing standards. Working backward from kindergarten expectations, we see ways that early childhood education and preschool learning can help disseminate advanced computer science skills.

Young children are being introduced to technology earlier each year. From computerized games and toys, early childhood education promotes creative play, organization of patterns, sequencing and solving problems.

When our administration began looking into what we could do in the computer science and computing area, we worked closely with Code.org to identify and establish key potential areas on which to concentrate, and took decisive and swift action toward implementation. Arkansas went about this work in developing the computer science and computing skills of our population with the understanding that it would be the generationā€™s necessary response to economically surviving and thriving in the coming changes in technology.

The Arkansas Computer Science and Computing Initiative sought to be the preemptive solution to these impending technological changes, much like the National Defense Education Act of 1958 was that generationā€™s response to the launch of Sputnik, or how ushered in a whole new era of educational reform. We realized if we did not expand our educational pursuits as a state to include computer science and computing skills in a meaningful manner, our students would not be prepared to fill the pipeline of jobs opening in their future, which would have dire consequences for the economy and well-being of Arkansans.

Since 2015, the purposeful actions of my office and the state regarding computer science and computing have always intended to propel and keep Arkansas students and its populace on the forefront of using and understanding technology in productive ways that provide lucrative career opportunities for themselves, their families and their neighbors, and continue to push the economy of Arkansas, as its citizens transverse through the fourth and fifth industrial/ technological revolutions.

The ultimate focus of the Arkansas Computer Science and Computing Initiative is to drive Arkansansā€™ understanding of how computers, computer systems and applications work independently and in conjunction. To expand students’ abilities/knowledge base to be able to utilize technology effectively as per its design, and to push technology beyond its original design to create new knowledge, understanding and applicability.

5. Why do you think Arkansas has garnered this attention? Do you think it is warranted, and how should the work of the Arkansas Computer Science and Computing Initiative be looked at by other states in the nation as they grow their initiatives?

What really kicked off the success of this initiative in Arkansas was the bipartisan support for Act 187 of 2015, the first legislation of its kind that was passed and actually implemented. This law requires all high schools to offer at least one computer science course to every student, and established the first Computer Science Task Force.

Because of its importance, we did not wait multiple years to roll the high school requirement in, but instead allowed the requirement to be in place in the fall of 2015. The task force work also began almost immediately, identifying the needs of the state and working closely with the newly employed Arkansas State Director of Computer Science, a first of its kind position nationally, to create and refine the state strategic plan for the initiative.

Through the dedication of multiple agencies and the support of the Arkansas legislators, we have seen tremendous growth of the initiative. This growth includes:

• Increasing the number of high-school-certified teachers from under 50 in 2015 to over 550 currently, providing some level of computer science and computing training to over half of the 33,000 licensed Arkansas educators;
• Increasing student enrollment in high school courses, growing from around 1,100 in 2014-15 to over 10,500 in 2020-2021; and
• Closing the racial gap in high school computer science enrollment to the point where racial enrollment in high school computer science is now on parity with general population

In late 2019, I authorized the creation of the second task force, the , which was charged with reviewing the work of the state thus far and to make recommendations for the future. In our 2021 legislative session, Act 414 was passed into law through bipartisan support, which requires students to take a computer science course to graduate, taken as early as eighth grade. In addition, each high school must employ a computer-science-certified teacher by the 2023-2024 school year.

While Arkansas is making purposeful decisions in this space, there are other states that are making great strides in both Computer Science and Cyber Security. As the upcoming chair of the National Governors Association, I will focus on showcasing Computer Science as my chairā€™s initiative. I am eager to highlight the work done in Arkansas, as well as other states across the nation. As we look for ways to support early childhood education in all areas, I remain committed to advocate for building problem solving and creative thinking skills in our young future leaders.

The sets bold aspirations for the future of Hawaiā€™iā€™s public education and is meant to guide and align educational strategic plans, including the Board of Education/Department of Education strategic plan and the plan submitted to the U.S. Department of Education under the Every Student Succeeds Act. The Blueprint is also meant to shape education policy for schools and students, specifically striving to expand access to high quality early childhood programs to those most in need. Early learning is woven throughout the Blueprint and aligns with the Executive Office on Early Learningā€™s with goals to improve student, educator and system success. We know that a childā€™s brain grows most rapidly during their first five years of life, with lasting impacts on their overall ability to learn and succeed. Economic status should never pose a barrier to quality early childhood learning in HawaiŹ»i.

Both plans include expanding availability and access to high quality early childhood education, targeting those who are most in need. In 2017, only 2.4% of the stateā€™s 4-year-olds were in publicly funded preschool programs. We have continued to expand access each year, opening 10 new preschool classrooms last year. We know investing in high quality early learning experiences will ensure that our children and their families build the foundation for a successful future.

2. Many of your education messages have highlighted the Hawaiian concept of kinaā€™ole (doing the right thing, the right way, at the right time). How does this concept relate to your thinking on the value of early childhood education?

Kinaā€™ole means I will do the right thing, in the right way, at the right time, in the right place, to the right person and with the right feeling, the first time I do it. Early childhood education is our opportunity to do the the right thing at just the right time: the time of development that is most critical. By valuing early childhood education, we are doing right by our children, setting them on the path.

Hawaiā€™iā€™s state plan for early childhood sets the foundation for an early childhood system that supports Hawaiā€™iā€™s children prenatal through age eight. The state plan goes beyond academics and includes childrenā€™s health, safety and well being, as well as family partnerships.

3. In January 2019, along with state leaders, you launched Hawaiā€™iā€™s first-ever Early Childhood State Plan. How has the creation of such a comprehensive plan, with agreement across state government leaders, been instrumental to improving the lives of keiki and their families?

Hawaiā€™i is home to more than 100,000 children under the age of 6 all needing care with so many parents in the workforce. The Early Childhood State Plan sets a foundation to ensure that all keiki develop to their fullest potential, and that all communities support our keiki. This new plan will drive collective action to improve the lives of our children, families, and communities by preparing our keiki for the future.

Hawaiā€™i recognizes that to truly make a difference in our childrenā€™s lives, we need to develop a support system that addresses their holistic needs, starting from the earliest years and continuing throughout their educational career. This has become even more apparent during the COVID-19 pandemic. Having a plan like this in place has further helped strategize efforts by the state, counties and communities through the guiding direction of the planā€™s shared priorities. As a result, all programs were able to coordinate and better respond to the needs of our children and families during the pandemic.

4. You have advocated for a universal, statewide, high-quality public preschool system that will provide every child in Hawaiā€™i an early learning experience. How do you see this supporting the state as we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic?

Preschool and other learning opportunities help children gain essential life skills, prepare them for their academic career and lifelong success. In Hawaiā€™i, we know that a high-quality learning environment in the preschool or early childhood years, does right by our children. These environments support childrenā€™s academic learning, social-emotional development and overall well being.

Recognizing that many of our families are facing unprecedented hardships due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and that children are losing opportunities to take part in in-person learning environments, it is more important than ever to emphasize the benefits these learning experiences provide. To help answer this need, the Department of Human Services is assisting eligible families to better afford preschool for the 2021-2022 school year through the program. This subsidy program will help support our most vulnerable keiki and families by providing children the opportunity to attend preschool and gain essential skills.

5. Youā€™re the father of three children. What lessons has parenthood taught you that youā€™ve been able to apply as governor?

Any parent will tell you the same thing – becoming a parent will shift your own perspectives and teach you the most valuable lessons to be applied throughout your life. Experiencing parenthood, especially with the First Lady who has been a passionate life-long educator, only emphasized the importance of universal early childhood development and learning.

Professionally, Mrs. Ige served as a vice principal of Kanoelani Elementary School, and prior to working in school administration, was a third grade teacher for over 10 years. Drawing from both of our experiences, we knew that early exposure to reading and reinforcement of literacy skills were crucial components for a foundation of sustained success. For that reason, the values that are embedded in HawaiŹ»iā€™s Blueprint for Education include a vision for collaboration among educators, families and communities to encourage skills such as early literacy and developing early identification of individual passions. For the First Ladyā€™s Ź»Ohana Readers, the HawaiŹ»i Library System partnered with the to distribute books to disadvantaged keiki on KauaŹ»i to hopefully help nurture curiosity and perpetuate a love for reading.

Literacy is a top priority because we know that so much of our success in K-12 hinges on building better readers. In the past, weā€™ve had an environment of ā€œtoo little, too lateā€ when it comes to helping kids before they pass the third grade, which is recognized as a milestone for reading development. To better prepare students for the fourth grade, my administration has implemented phonics-based instruction – a method that is proven to help students read on grade level. This continued focus on literacy will help Tennessee students succeed in life beyond the classroom.

2. The Tennessee Fosters Hope program establishes a statewide collaborative engaging state agencies, community organizations, the business community and houses of worship to elevate high quality care and opportunities for children impacted by foster care and adoption. How do you see such an effort contributing to the overall well-being of Tennessee?

A top priority of our pro-family agenda is making sure every child has a safe, loving and permanent home, and Tennessee Fosters Hope is a big part of that. Itā€™s my hope that by joining forces with the faith community and trusted partners like Tennessee Kids Belong and Show Hope, we will strengthen support for foster families and increase quality care for children who need it most. This public-private partnership will have a lasting impact and make Tennessee a national leader in fostering and adoption.

3. Under your leadership, the state was named the number one best fiscally managed state in the country, best business climate in the U.S., number one in the nation for advanced industry growth and the best state for small business growth. How do you see education supporting these outcomes?

Tennessee has a long tradition of being a well-managed, fiscally-conservative state, and thereā€™s no question that our strong commitment to education plays a significant role in this economic success. When our children have access to a quality education, they have more opportunities to learn skills and pursue meaningful careers, no matter their background. By increasing education opportunities in our state, weā€™ll improve workforce participation and maintain Tennesseeā€™s strong economic position.

4. What has been the biggest educational challenge the state has faced during the pandemic and how have you sought to address it?

COVID-19 caused immense disruptions for our students and complicated every aspect of education in Tennessee. Our students were facing staggering learning loss after time away from the classroom, so we called for an historic special session and proposed bold solutions to intervene and improve literacy efforts.

We know that in-person learning is safe, and itā€™s the only way our students will get back on track after significant learning loss. Now, all 147 school districts in our state have returned to in-person learning, and we are working to ensure that is once again the standard in Tennessee.

5. As a seventh-generation Tennessean, what are your greatest hopes for the young children and families in your state?

Itā€™s my hope that through our bold education proposals and pro-family agenda, we will make our state a place where all Tennessee children and families can thrive for the long term.

The pandemic revealed a lot of longstanding challenges and inequities within communities and in early childhood. Our Preschool Development Grant (PDG) has allowed us to implement a variety of improvements to our system throughout COVID in an effort to improve how children and families experience the first five years of life.

For example, the grant has helped Connecticutā€™s Office of Early Childhood to increase coordination and alignment across funding streams and sectors to make a bigger impact on the lives of our children and families.

Our initial PDG Birth-Five efforts helped build systems and infrastructure that have helped us respond to COVID. One of the things thatā€™s very important to me is making sure weā€™re hearing the voices of those accessing services and affected by the pandemic. To that end, PDG funds are helping us to create a Parent Cabinet, which has helped inform both our response to COVID, and our systems reform work.

In addition to gathering feedback from parents, we were also able to leverage PDG resources to gather feedback fromā€”and help communicate critical information toā€”the field, across agencies and sectors. Taken together, this feedback has helped to guide our investments and integrate our pandemic response efforts around two of my major priorities: technology innovation and workforce development.

In terms of technology, PDG resources have helped us connect families to early childhood development support through , a parent-completed Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ). Sparkler is a developmental screening tool in an app-based format that connects parents directly to Connecticutā€™s Child Development Infoline. As indicated, families are referred to intervention services right through this app.

This has been especially important during the pandemic when so many children were not able to access the programs from which families usually receive referrals to disability and support services. More than 800 families completed the screening during the pandemic. The app also provides families with age-appropriate activities to support the healthy development of children. More than 300 families enrolled in our home visiting families participated in Sparkler as well.

Weā€™ve also capitalized on PDG resources to lend capacity to our Governorā€™s Workforce Council, where weā€™re doing research to address family barriers to workforce development. Based on the lessons there, I dedicated $5 million in COVID relief funds to launch an innovative child care program for Connecticut residents seeking employment and training. Workforce board clients were referred to free contracted child care slots as needed providing a clearer path to employment for families experiencing job displacement during the peak of the COVID crisis.

Finally, Iā€™d say that our PDG grant is very deliberately focused on equity. Itā€™s critical to me that we ensure all children have access to opportunities that support their healthy growth and development. Part of that is as simple as making sure weā€™re communicating effectively. For example, weā€™ve worked across the PDG process to ensure our memos and communications to families and programs are translated into Spanish, allowing critical information to be shared in a timely and accessible manner.

The equity focus also extends to making sure that COVID relief funds are allocated to communities most in need of support. The stateā€™s funding distribution formula has multiple variables grounded in equity, all designed to ensure the fiscal stability of child care providers in the stateā€™s hardest hit communities.

The bottom line is that we have an unwavering commitment to creating and sustaining ecosystems where children are safe, healthy, learning and thriving. The PDG grant has been a great support here.

2. The state created an Office of Early Childhood in 2013 to coordinate and improve the various early childhood programs in the state to create a cohesive high-quality early childhood system. In what ways do you see this coordination contributing to the prosperity of Connecticut children and families?

The success and well-being of our state depends on our collective ability, across state and local agenciesā€”and in partnership with community-based providersā€”to deliver coordinated, high-quality programs and services during the first five years of a childā€™s life. Having one agency overseeing early childhood programs is an advantage for children, families, programs and state oversight.

Through its core programs, our Office of Early Childhood supports infant and toddler care, preschool, after-school care, child care and youth camp licensing, credentialing, home visiting and early intervention to address developmental delays. Prior to 2015, these efforts were spread across five state agencies. Navigating a vast array of programs, eligibility criteria and requirements is already tough enough for families and providers. We believe one agency has led to better coordination and outcomes through the development of an agency-wide approach focused on the whole child and family.

This approach is advanced through our two-generation (2Gen) initiative. Children grow up in the context of families. 2Gen supports both children and parents to get the education, training and social supports needed to succeed, and allows parents to pass increased economic security onto their children.

As I mentioned, workforce development is one of my real areas of focus and the Office of Early Childhood has been leading the Equity and Access Committee of our Governorā€™s Workforce Council. Child care has emerged as a major hurdle for families seeking to advance themselves in the workforce. To address the child care needs of those pursuing employment and job training, the OEC has worked closely with the State Colleges and Universities to pilot child care access for the children of SNAP Employment and Training participants. By offering pathways to a living wage and removing barriers for families, children will prosper ā€” especially when combined with high quality early childhood settings.

Simultaneously, Connecticut is in the midst of child care systems reform, to improve the quality of care and make it more accessible to families. Legislative and administrative changes are on tap this year. Fundamental reforms are needed to dramatically expand access to high quality care and ultimately produce better outcomes for all of Connecticutā€™s children and families. Our system reform vision is built around six interconnected elements.

3. Education Weekā€™s recent ā€œChance of Success Indexā€ ranked Connecticut third in the nation for providing opportunities for success throughout a studentā€™s lifetime. In what ways do you see the stateā€™s early childhood care and education system supporting this achievement?

Thereā€™s no question that Connecticutā€™s high rankings in many of these national child well-being assessments are a function of state investments and policies that demand high quality services. Weā€™re very proud, of course, but canā€™t afford to be complacent.  We still have work to do in assuring that all children have access to high quality services, and our administration is hyper-focused on making sure this will be the case for every Connecticut family.

We are pleased to rank in the top 10 states for childrenā€™s access to health care, which we know is the critical first step to supporting overall child development. Connecticut also invests significant state resources in early care and education with more than $195 million in state funding serving 17,000 3- and 4-year-old’s in state-funded spaces, supplemented by federal CCDF funds.

Weā€™ve been really intentional about making sure this funding can start at age 3, understanding the value added by two full years of preschool for children. These funds are invested in high quality programs. Many states only appropriate federal funding, and do not require this high standard. Since 1997, our investments in early childhood have meant that Connecticut is among the in preschool access for children and families.

We know that early childhood programming lays the foundation for success in school and beyond. And we know that quality matters too. Twenty-five percent of our stateā€™s early childhood programs are NAEYC Accredited, ranking us second in the U.S. My focus for the years ahead is on an improved early childhood system that is less economically fragile, more data-driven and informed by family, workforce/business, and provider input.

4. Connecticutā€™s former Commissioner of Education, Dr. Miguel Cardona, was recently named U.S. Secretary of Education. How does this reflect on Connecticut’s own achievements?

We couldnā€™t be prouder of Cardona for his selection as Secretary of Education ā€” the nation is getting a phenomenal leader for the Department of Education. Born to Puerto Rican parents and raised in a housing project, Cardona brings these real-life experiences to his work, and is a role model for students with similar backgrounds and experiences.

His passion for equity led him to serve as chair of CTā€™s Achievement Gap Taskforce to help narrow and close the achievement gaps. As a principal and Assistant Superintendent, Cardona brought preschool to Meriden schools. He describes ECE as the foundation for healthy learning and development.

While Commissioner of Education, Cardona was a champion of equity and opportunity for Connecticutā€™s children. His leadership was a game-changer during one of the most challenging chapters of the stateā€™s history.

• He invested heavily in PPE and school resources so that teachers and students could safely return to school.
• He helped create nation-leading data systems to track student attendance and COVID positivity rates so the state could understand the state of play across schools and redirect resources to the most struggling families.
• Finally, he helped craft the Everybody Learns Initiativeā€”the stateā€™s initiative to close the K-12 digital divideā€”providing 141,000 laptops and 41,000 internet connections to families across the state. Connecticut became the first state in the nation to provide a laptop and at-home internet connection to every student who indicated a need.

One other part of Cardonaā€™s strength leading Connecticut during the pandemic was his constant communication with educators. He was on the phone daily with superintendents and held weekly calls with Public Health that guided the State’s responsive approach to keeping schools open when possible. This is the kind of leadership Cardona will bring to the U.S. Department of Education, and the nation is lucky to have him.

5. You discussed education in your State of the State address, including points on recruiting black and Hispanic teachers, reducing the cost of education and expanding eligibility to Care 4 Kids. How do you see these investments as complementing your overall agenda for Connecticut?

Weā€™re really working to improve the stateā€™s efforts to recruit educators of color. We recently launched our Educators Rising program, a network that cultivates diverse, highly skilled educators by guiding young people of color into a pipeline to become teachers. As a state, we are reducing the cost of education by continued investment in making community college free to our neediest students across the state and seeking ways to expand eligibility to Care 4 Kids.

All of these efforts weave together as part of our administrationā€™s commitment to providing a world class education and opportunity to every single student.

COVID-19 has created many new challenges for Kansans. However, my administration took aggressive steps right away to slow the spread of the virus and protect Kansas families. When schools had to move to all virtual settings, a team of teachers came together and created the continuous learning program ā€“ in three days. When it was time to begin reopening, we engaged stakeholders from across the state to develop a comprehensive, phased-in plan that let businesses open safely.

My team is also working hard on Kansasā€™ recovery. This year alone, weā€™ve brought in $2.5 billion dollars in capital investment. Thatā€™s more jobs and more businesses coming to Kansas in a time when we need them the most.

I am proud of the tireless work of our health care professionals, essential workers, teachers, and all those who have drastically changed their routines to keep people safe. Kansans worked hard to mitigate the spread of the virus and protect their communities. Everyone has really stepped up.

2. Kansas has provided a variety of pandemic-related supports to child care – and has classified child care teachers as critical workers in phase two of its COVID-19 vaccine plan. Why is child care a critical consideration in the stateā€™s response to the pandemic?

Child care workers and teachers are critical workers. During the COVID-19 pandemic, families have faced many challenges ā€“ including child care access.

We know that if we wanted to keep essential workers, teachers, law enforcement and many other essential employees and their services functioning, we needed to ensure access to child care.

Access to quality, affordable child care will ensure our parents can get back to work as soon as possible, ensuring they can keep their families housed and fed, while also protecting our economy and bolstering our workforce.

3. The state recently announced over $2.8 million in grant funding to fuel ā€˜All in for Kansas Kidsā€™ quality sub-grants, helping communities, child care providers, and other early childhood champions address needs and gaps in the early childhood care and education system through locally-driven ideas and approaches. What do you hope the grants will accomplish and what do you see as the primary benefit of sharing these funds directly with communities?

Our hope for these grants is that they will increase access to quality, affordable child care for Kansans in every community ā€” particularly in rural or otherwise underserved areas.

Additionally, we want to break down the barriers to success our kids face every day. The child care and education professionals who live and work in our communities have a deeper understanding of those barriers, and what can be done to remove them.

These grants will be used for enhancing supplies and activities, increasing access to mental health services, making sure our kids are ready for kindergarten, ensuring families are aware of the resources available to them, and more. They will make a significant difference for Kansas families.

4. You recently announced legislation to expand Medicaid and to provide health insurance for 165,000 Kansans. The legislation also establishes a regulatory framework to make Kansas the 48th state to legalize medical marijuana. How else do you see the expansion of Medicaid as critical to meeting the needs of Kansas children and families?

Families in Kansas are struggling to meet basic needs ā€“ especially access to affordable health care. This was true before the pandemic and the realities are even starker for families now. Healthy Kansans are critical to our stateā€™s recovery.

Our 2019 Early Childhood and Education Needs Assessmentā€™s main findings were that young children were growing up in families where basic needs are not met and that experiences are shaped by where you live in the state. Almost 20% of children under the age of 5 live in poverty. And, children in western Kansas are more likely to be uninsured with ranges from 3-14% for children under 18.

In our 53 community engagement sessions across the state, two-thirds of communities cited Medicaid expansion and health care access as a critical need.

But Medicaid expansion is about more than expanding access to health care. It creates jobs, injects billions of dollars into our economies, protects our rural hospitals and boosts access to mental health services. Expansion will only benefit Kansas. Itā€™s a no-brainer.

5. Child Care Aware of Kansas, in partnership with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment and the Kansas Office of Recovery, has launched a new Child Care Health Consultant Network. What will the network do and why was launching it a top priority for the state?

The Child Care Health Consultant (CCHC) Network provides technical assistance to licensed child care providers as they implement COVID-19 health and safety guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

After working directly with a consultant to assess the environment, child care programs are eligible to apply for grant funding to purchase supplies or make modifications to home or center-based facilities serving children, infant through school age. The network is a critical support for child care programs that are working hard to remain open and ensure that children are safe and healthy in the midst of the pandemic.

Child care is essential to a thriving Kansas economy and families want to know that their children are cared for in a safe, nurturing environment so they can go to work.

Like many states, Delawareā€™s early childhood governance system has been fragmented. With the help of the General Assembly, we were able to consolidate two major pieces within the Department of Education. It became clear to us that to further this work, we needed an Associate Secretary level role to lead this and further consolidation efforts. We owe it to providers to make sure government is most effectively working to support them in the critical work they do every day. We were thrilled to have Yvette Sanchez Fuentes join our team in this important role.

2. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the administration created an enhanced reimbursement program to help child care providers stay afloat through the pandemic. How is the solvency of the Delawareā€™s child care industry linked to the strength of the stateā€™s economy?

Early in March, it became clear to us that we could not respond to this pandemic without the help of our child care providers. We had to balance the need to lower group sizes and increase health and safety protocols with the need to ensure our frontline and essential workers had child care. We worked with members of the General Assembly and our team across state government to create the enhanced reimbursement program to support our child care industry.

In the first few months, over 500 child care homes and centers chose to remain open and received enhanced reimbursement to meet the added staffing and health and safety protocols. We have continued to support child care centers and homes with enhanced reimbursement, and it has helped ensure families have access to child care during this pandemic.

3. Your father was a career educator. How has his work informed your approach to education policy in Delaware ā€” and to early childhood in particular?

My father was a strong believer in the importance of early childhood education, particularly for disadvantaged children. My administration has put those children first. From creating the first weighted funding program for low-income students and English learners, to creating a student loan forgiveness program for educators in high needs schools and subject areas, to investing in academic coaches and mental health supports for our most vulnerable students, we have prioritized lifting up every child.

This year, we plan to propose to the General Assembly legislation to increase funding for elementary school students with special needs and commit to a permanent funding structure for disadvantaged students. In the coming years, weā€™ve also committed to double the amount of funding towards state-funded pre-k seats. These are investments that will lead to better outcomes for our children and for our state.

4. The first lady is leading the First Chance Delaware initiative. What is this initiative and why is it important for the administration?

First Chance is an effort to focus on three main areas to lift up our children in Delaware: ending childhood hunger and expanding access to nutritious food for low-income children; promoting learning readiness through literacy, health and parent-child engagement programs; and advancing the recognition of and response to adverse childhood experiences. Each of these three pillars is vital to our goal of every child graduating ready for their future. First Chance is even more critical in the face of this pandemic, so that we can effectively respond to the needs of all children and families.

First Chance recently announced the recipients of First Chance awards, recognizing many that have been critical to keeping our children fed during this pandemic. As we look towards life after this pandemic, this work could not be more important to make sure all children have what they need to be successful.

5. As education continues to be a priority, what are your greatest hopes for the children of Delaware?

My greatest hope is that every child graduates from high school with the option to choose to go on to higher education or into the workforce. In order to do this, we must ensure all of our students are reading on grade level by third grade, proficient in math by the end of middle school, and given the individualized supports needed to be successful.

We have many schools in our state that are doing incredible work, from Frederick Douglass Elementary in Seaford to Etta Wilson Elementary in Newark. Our focus is to ensure every single child is successful. This is the most important work we do as a state, and I will do everything in my power to continue to support children, educators and families.

I am most proud of the way Virginians have stepped up to help their neighbors in an unprecedented year. For example, right now our Department of Emergency Management is working with both the Departments of Education and Social Services, as well as private logistics companies, to deliver over $20 million worth of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to over 4,300 early childhood sites and adult care facilities to help them get through this difficult winter. That type of cooperation has been happening both within state government as well as in our hospitals and the community this year.

This pandemic has been especially hard on our early childhood system, but as of mid-December, over 6,000 providers are open and serving children (over 2,400 of those using public subsidy dollars) and they have kept outbreaks remarkably low. Our early childhood educators are essential to Virginiaā€™s economic recovery and we have invested over $150 million in federal coronavirus relief funds to help them remain open. In fact, Virginia was the first state in the nation to direct Governorā€™s Emergency Education Relief funds (GEER) to our pre-K system.

Virginians are strong, they are resilient, and I know we will get through this pandemic together.

2. You recently signed an executive order to create an Executive Leadership Team on School Readiness. Why is this a priority for Virginia? What has the state learned in the process of the team developing their recommendations?

Access to quality early childhood education is essential to the long term health and well-being of our children, it is also an investment in the workforce of the future. Virginia is ranked No. 1 in the nation for business and we know the only way to maintain that status is to support the leaders of tomorrow.

Our leadership team last year recommended a single durable point of accountability and oversight for all early learning programs in Virginia at the Department of Education, as well the creation of a uniform mandatory quality rating and improvement system (QRIS) for all publicly funded programs by 2023. Thanks to support from legislators, we put these recommendations into code through transformational legislation in the 2020 General assembly session.

Through the work of this leadership team we also determined that 72% of 3-year-olds from economically-disadvantaged families do not have access to a quality early childhood education – that is simply unacceptable and we have made a bold goal to serve all at-risk 3- and 4-year-olds by 2026.

Finally, our teachers are the most important part of our early learning system. In 2019, we started a pilot to give recognition grants of $1,500 to attract and retain teachers in centers and family day homes, where we know teachers are paid far less than their school-based peers. The results were impressive with retention increasing by 23%, so we have prioritized directing state dollars to this program (up to $5 million in fiscal year 2022). This is an important first step in addressing inequities among our early childhood workforce.

3. You made a historic, pre-COVID budget proposal for $94.8 million in new funding to transform the early childhood education system and expand access. Despite the challenges brought on by the pandemic, youā€™ve been able to move forward with the consolidation of early childhood services within the Virginia Department of Education. As you look toward the final year of your term, what are your priorities for advancing this important work?

Our proposed budget for this biennium made historic investments in our early learning system, including grants to attract and retain educators in centers and family day homes, improvements and expansion of our Virginia Preschool Initiative (VPI) program as well as our Mixed Delivery system. We also began a pilot to serve 3-year-olds in our VPI classrooms in response to the findings of our taskforce. Our budget process ended just as the pandemic began and we had to unallot, or freeze, new spending. However, thanks to recent updates to our financial forecast, and effective use of federal funds, we were able to restore over $45 million of this funding in a special session. My proposed budget for the 2021 Regular Session restores over $16 million more in order to fully fund the major items of this historic package.

We will also start the discussion next session of future dedicated funding sources to ensure that we are serving all at-risk 3- and 4-year olds in the next five years. Investments in our youngest and most vulnerable learners are the greatest investment we can make.

4. You have often said that Virginiaā€™s history is full of contradictions and complexities, and emphasized how important it is for students and adults alike to understand that history. How is your Administration working towards helping students grasp Virginiaā€™s full history?

The first step in reconciling Virginiaā€™s complicated past is to acknowledge it. The Virginia story we have told in our classrooms and textbooks is insufficient and inadequate, especially when it comes to the role of African Americans in our history. Last year, I established the Commission on African American History Education in the Commonwealth to review the educational standards, instructional practices, content and resources we currently use to teach African American history.

The Commission issued comprehensive recommendations for an overhaul of Virginiaā€™s Standards of Learning and professional development structures. Many of their recommended changes have already been implemented by the Board of Education. Additionally, my proposed budget includes funding to build and scale critical professional development to ensure Virginia educators can sensitively and confidently teach this complex history through sustaining culturally responsive pedagogy.

This work, once fully implemented, will help ensure that every Virginia graduate has a comprehensive understanding of the African American voices that contribute to the story of our nation and our Commonwealth.

Only when students and adults alike understand how our racial history continues to influence policies and systems can we effectively make change. I see an understanding of the past as a foundation for the pursuit of equity today.

5. As education continues to be a priority in your state, and with your background in pediatric medicine, what are your hopes for children in Virginia?

As a pediatric neurologist I have always said I see hope when I look into a babyā€™s eyes. Our children are all capable of success in school and beyond if they are given access to the basic resources they need to thrive. Thatā€™s why we continued the Childrenā€™s Cabinet, chaired by the first lady, who is a former educator and pediatric neurologist. This group includes multiple Secretaries and is tasked with breaking down silos in state government in the major areas of nutrition, trauma-informed care and early childhood development. My hope is that this Childrenā€™s Cabinet is continued in the next administration, and that in the near future Virginia will be able to ensure that no child is hungry and no child lacks access to a world-class education. All children deserve these opportunities no matter who they are, or where they live.

It feels like a cruel twist of fate that many Oregon communities already disproportionately suffering from the impacts of COVID-19, or the flooding in Umatilla earlier this year, now face even more hardship with the fallout from a historic wildfire. Iā€™m grateful that even in the darkest of times, Oregonians are stepping up to help one another in extraordinary ways.

Like Sarah in Mollala, who was forced to leave her home and evacuate with her kids during the unprecedented wildfires in Oregon. Once safe, she returned to deliver water to firefighters on the frontlines. Or Alba in Medford, who was able to safely evacuate the children in her child care, her neighborā€™s two children and their three dogs as the fire quickly spread. She and her husband then opened their church, providing refuge to 40 members of their community.

Iā€™ve been told that there were so many donations to the Expo Center in Jackson County in Medford that they had to ask people to stop donating after the communities of Phoenix and Talent were burned. The center was filled with mountains of blankets, pillows and supplies. And restaurants like Conwayā€™s in Springfield and La Margarita in Salem provided free hot meals to Oregonians impacted by the fires.

Thatā€™s what we do here in Oregon. We take care of one another. And this is what gives me confidence that we will come out of this disaster, and we will be stronger for it.

We will have a long road ahead, but I am heartened by all the Oregonians who are coming together right now to help us build back a stronger and more resilient Oregon.

2. In late March, you made the difficult decision to temporarily close child care (with exceptions for emergency care for essential staff) as the state dealt with the initial onset of the virus. What lessons has Oregon learned about the importance and needs of the child care industry during this challenging time and what additional supports are needed to ensure the availability of care as Oregonians return to work.

Iā€™ve known the importance of high-quality early care and education settings for child development and supporting our workforce – particularly women in the workforce. But this pandemic has shown that child care and ECE settings are the foundation of our system. Oregon was already a child care desert before this pandemic, and COVID-19 has closed half of our supply. Lack of access to child care has implications for our businesses and our economy, and the physical closure of schools has only exacerbated this issue. Itā€™s also highlighted the importance of our early care and education workforce. These educators – mostly women and largely women of color – are putting themselves at risk for less than minimum wage.

Our Preschool Promise and Baby Promise funding formulas include wage parity, and we were able to secure parity for our Oregon PreKindergarten and Head Start educators last year. But it doesnā€™t go far enough. Child care is essential and the educators in these programs are essential – they need to be compensated as such. We need additional federal support to ensure that our remaining programs can stay open and that we can reopen our closed programs.

3. This fall, you convened a Racial Justice Council and Education Recovery Committee. What is the purpose of the Council and Committee, and what do you hope it will accomplish over the next several months?

Iā€™ve asked the to recommend changes to state policies, practices, budgets and structures to align them within a racial justice and equity framework. Right now, they are focused on identifying priorities for my Governorā€™s Recommended Budget that will be released later this year, but I am looking to them to set the trajectory for the remainder of my term and – ideally – beyond.

The Education Recovery Committee is one of six subcommittees of the Racial Justice Council. Their focus is to recommend key priorities for system improvement in response to COVID-19, and to remove barriers to child and youth access, opportunity and outcomes in early care and education, K-12 and higher education.

They are currently closing out their budget discussions to recommend priorities to the Racial Justice Council. Once we get through the budget, I will be looking to them to draw that roadmap for education. What do they want to see from our education system in the next two years? How can we begin to transform our Prenatal to Grade 20 (P-20) education system to best serve our communities of color? I am looking forward to their continued work.

4. Oregon has made a commitment to a mixed-delivery system for high-quality preschool and, now, infant-toddler care. How does this approach improve access to care for families across the state, and why is it so important to you?

When it comes to a childā€™s education, I believe families should have a choice. Families, especially our families who have been historically underserved, deserve to choose where they want their child spend the day.

Preschool Promise serves families up to 200% of the Federal Poverty Level and we have funded slots in homes, schools and centers across the state. Our investment in an Early Childhood Equity Fund allowed us to further expand some of our strongest culturally-responsive early care and education settings. This helps ensure that families have the opportunity to place their child in the care of someone who will elevate their culture and help foster positive racial identity during these crucial years of child development.

We were recently able to launch a pilot program, Baby Promise, which builds on these same principles, but for our very youngest Oregonians.

5. Oregon recently became one of the only states in the nation to offer home visiting to all new parents. How has the program been received, and what benefits does the program offer to Oregon families and taxpayers?

I am proud to have worked with the Legislature to fund universally offered Home Visiting for all families of newborns for our state. While COVID-19 has delayed some of its implementation, we have eight pilot sites in 18 counties that are preparing their local systems of care to receive referrals and support these families.

Actual home visits will begin in late-January 2021, with gradual scale up within these communities throughout the year. There is much excitement and collaboration from stakeholders, health plans and communities. They understand firsthand how connecting families of newborns with the supports they need from the start sets them on a trajectory of lifelong improved health. Now, more than ever, itā€™s important that some of our most vulnerable families have access to home visiting services across the state.

The pandemic has been one of the most challenging times in the history of the State of Alabama. However, it has also been one of our stateā€™s finest hours. By following social distancing, wearing face coverings when social distancing is not possible, and following common-sense steps such as washing hands, Alabamians are balancing the equally important tasks of keeping our economy and schools open while also taking every step possible to reduce spread of the virus in Alabama.

I am most proud of how the people of Alabama have handled these trying times. Alabamians have understood the necessity of our public health response measures, which has allowed us to rely on the good sense and love for one another that is characteristic of the people of Alabama, and to keep our economy open and keep the new cases as low as possible. Times of great adversity often bring out the best in Alabamians, and that has been true on innumerable occasions since March.

2. Youā€™ve identified an integrated education-to-workforce initiative, Strong Start, Strong Finish, as a cornerstone to your agenda. Why is this a critical issue for you as Governor and how does the plan address it?

In the 1970s, two-thirds of Alabamaā€™s in-demand jobs required a high school education or less. Today, two-thirds of Alabamaā€™s in-demand occupations require some form of postsecondary education. My Strong Start, Strong Finish initiative is designed to connect early childhood development efforts that promote parents as a childā€™s first and best teachers to K-12 education initiatives, such as the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading and the Alabama STEM Council, that are designed to ensure that students are literate and numerate by the age 8.

These efforts are followed by a focus on new-era career and technical education initiatives, such as computer science, work-based learning, dual enrollment, and competency-based learning, that connect career and academic pathways for all students. The Strong Start, Strong Finish Initiative culminates in the Success Plus postsecondary education attainment goal that is focused on credentialing an additional 500,000 Alabamians with barriers to education and workforce training, with a focus on equity, by 2025. Connecting education and workforce initiatives is key to increasing Alabamaā€™s postsecondary education attainment rate and the stateā€™s labor force participation rate by preparing Alabamians with the skills they need to fill the two-thirds of todayā€™s in-demand jobs that require postsecondary education.

We are coupling our focus on systems alignment with an intentional focus on developing the infrastructure needed to support competency-based learning, short-term workforce training programs that articulate to traditional two- and four-year degrees, and a skills-based hiring ecosystem. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the timetable for the future of work. It is incumbent on governors to provide the infrastructure to prepare their citizens for the work of today, which is the work of the future.

3. Alabamaā€™s First Class Pre-K program is nationally recognized and one of only four states to meet all 10 of the National Institute for Early Education Researchā€™s quality standards benchmarks. Alabama has also dramatically increased the number of children served during your tenure. What do you attribute the stateā€™s success?

Alabamaā€™s First Class Pre-K program has had the great fortune of meeting all 10 of the National Institute for Early Education Researchā€™s quality standard benchmarks for 14 consecutive years. This success is attributed to the support of the Alabama Legislature and stable leadership at the Alabama Department of Early Childhood Education that has placed a premium on maintaining quality, even as access to the First Class Pre-K program has increased markedly. The program has grown from serving 1.7% of Alabamaā€™s 4-year-old children in 2005 to serving 38% in 2020. In the same time period, the budget for First Class Pre-K has grown from $4.3 million to $128.8 million.

A 2018 study conducted by the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) School of Public Health, the UAB School of Education, and the Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama demonstrated that students who participate in First Class Pre-K are more likely to be proficient in math and reading, with no evidence of fade out of the benefits of high-quality pre-k over time. We are getting closer to our goal of offering First Class Pre-K to all of the families in Alabama who wish to participate, which is expected to equal about 70% of our 4-year-old children.

4. As mentioned, the First Class Pre-K program is enjoying tremendous success, what can you tell us about the extension for infants and toddlers ā€” First Class Foundations?

Our approach is focused on connecting the earliest stages of learning through a continuum of early childhood development. Through an innovative partnership between the Alabama Department of Human Resources and the Alabama Department of Early Childhood Education, First Class Foundation Sites are located at licensed child care programs. First Class Foundation Sites bring the high-quality expectations of First Class Pre-K to infant and toddler classrooms.

Selection as a First Class Foundation Site yields funding for program enhancements, coaching, professional development opportunities for the staff, and support for attaining a higher quality rating in the Alabamaā€™s childcare quality rating system. The goal of the First Class Foundation Sites is to support high-quality standards for children from birth to age 5. Sites have been selected through a competitive application process. All participating First Class Foundations Sites operate an infant and toddler program as well as an Alabama First Class Pre-K classroom and maintain a current childcare license with the Alabama Department of Human Resources.

Furthermore, as part of the Strong Start, Strong Finish Initiativeā€™s focus on a two-generation approach to integrating early childhood learning from birth to age 5, on Sept. 28, 2020, I announced the launch of Alabama Family Central. Alabama Family Central is a comprehensive, easy-to-use web and mobile destination that offers parents and families, guardians, teachers and caregivers a one-stop connection to programs and services in Alabama. Alabama Family Central was collaboratively created by state agencies and other partners to support Alabama families as a compilation of available state resources that can assist with issues related to the health and well-being of children. The Alabama Legislature is also supporting this effort with $500,000 in funding from the Education Trust Fund budget.

5. As early education continues to be one of your highest priorities, what is your hope for families in your state?

My hope is that families feel supported to be their childrenā€™s first and very best teachers. My administration is supporting a two-generation approach to early childhood education and development that empowers families with the information and resources they need to ensure that every child is pre-k ready, ready for kindergarten, and literate and numerate by age 8. The first eight years are precious, and we do not have any time to waste, or recover, when it comes to ensuring that all of our kids reach each of those development benchmarks.

As a critical component of the Strong Start, Strong Finish education initiative, I formed the Alabama Campaign for Grade-Level Reading to establish local campaigns for grade-level reading in February 2018. On July 10, 2020, I announced the release of the final report and recommendations of the Alabama Campaign for Grade-Level Reading, entitled The Alabama Campaign for Grade Level Reading Recommendations to the Governor.

The Alabama Campaign for Grade-Level Reading will now morph into 67 local campaigns through the statewide network of the Childrenā€™s Policy Councils. This approach will allow Alabamaā€™s 67 Childrenā€™s Policy Councils to address external issues outside of the classroom, such as childhood health, access to nutritious food, and quality after-school and summer programs that directly affect a childā€™s ability to perform academically. We will continue to promote opportunities to amplify the work of our communities as we prepare each Alabamian to have a strong start and a strong finish to their educational journey and career pathway.

Right off the bat, we took aggressive action in Michigan to protect families and frontline workers from the spread of COVID-19. I had to make some hard choices, whether it was closing down schools or issuing the ā€œStay Home, Stay Safeā€ order. But those tough decisions, and the fact that the vast majority of Michiganders did their part by staying home, proved to save thousands of lives. Of course, we wouldnā€™t have been able to navigate this crisis without the brave men and women serving on the front lines ā€“ our first responders, health care workers, child care workers and grocery store workers. The work done to continue providing these crucial services undoubtedly saved thousands of lives.

2. What are the biggest challenges being experienced by the young children and families during the pandemic and how is the state working to address them?

I think the thing thatā€™s had the biggest impact on children and families is the closure of schools for in-person learning. And for families with parents who are on the front lines, making sure they have access to safe, quality child care for their kids.

I know a lot of parents are scared right now ā€” scared that something could happen to them or their kids. A lot of parents are working from home while trying to care for their children at the same time. Iā€™ve been working hard over the past several months to ensure parents and kids have the resources they need to stay safe and ensure access to child care.

When I issued the ā€œStay Home, Stay Safeā€ order, I made sure to keep child care providers open so our frontline workers had safe places for their kids during the day, and expanded access and capacity for child care services, giving priority to essential workforce. I made sure that employers, like hospitals, could operate a disaster relief child care center for their employees. And I signed an executive order which requires face coverings to be worn in all child-care centers and camps.

My team and I are working around the clock to make sure our families have the resources they need to get through this crisis. Roughly 65% of our child care providers are open right now. Thatā€™s a good start, but we have more to do to make sure every family has the care they need.

3. Your administration recently announced the Michigan Child Care Relief Fund, which is providing direct, non-competitive grants to child care providers in theĀ  state. Why is child care so critical to both Michiganā€™s recovery and its long-term prosperity?Ā Ā 

Quality, safe, affordable child care is no doubt crucial to Michiganā€™s economy. Parents need child care that is available when they need it and in a convenient location. However, across Michigan and for families at all income levels, care is too expensive and difficult to find. This is especially true for parents with infants and toddlers, and those needing care during non-traditional hours. Thatā€™s why in Michigan, weā€™re making child care a top priority. Because child care keeps Michigan working and builds a stronger future for all of us.

4. As the nation engages in deep conversations around equity, many point to early childhood investment as one mechanism through which to address historic disparities. How does the administrationā€™s focus on the expansion of pre-kindergarten, for example, align with its priorities from an equity viewpoint? Ā 

Iā€™ve been focused on expanding Pre-K for families that need it most since the beginning of my administration. I made it a priority in my last because I know how crucial it is for our families and for our economy. Children who attend a full-day preschool program have an increased vocabulary and outperform their peers in cognition, literacy, math and physical development. Investing in quality early education is essential to eliminate the disparity of low-income children who fall behind in third grade reading.

Hereā€™s what we have to do to expand pre-K for Michigan kids:

• Provide additional funding to the Great Start Readiness Program.
• Coordinate with existing structures to direct the increased funding to the kids who need it the most.
• Create a continuum of care from birth through kindergarten for low- and moderate-income families.

5. Child care workers are central to expanding access to quality care. What is Michigan doing to strengthen the child care workforce?

I couldnā€™t agree more. Child care workers have been an essential part of Michiganā€™s workforce throughout this pandemic. One way we are thanking them is by launching the Futures for Frontliners program. The program is the nationā€™s first scholarship program offering tuition-free college to an estimated 625,000 Michiganders who provided essential, frontline services between April and June of 2020. It is Michiganā€™s way of expressing gratitude to essential workers, like child care providers, for protecting public health and keeping our state running.

Futures for Frontliners, inspired by the GI Bill which provided college degrees to those serving their country in WWII, offers Michigan adults without college degrees or high school diplomas who provided essential services during the pandemic a tuition-free pathway to gaining the skills needed to obtain high-demand, high-wage careers. We know early education is a skilled profession, and we are reaching out to child care workers to help them take advantage of this opportunity.

Mississippians are resilient. In the face of tremendous danger, they have come together. We have been able to put politics aside and fight this virus as one. Weā€™ve seen historic natural disasters and economic turmoil alongside the pandemicā€”and Mississippians have risen to the occasion. It is inspiring to me and my family every single day. We feel the prayers of Mississippians for us and know that they are putting that faith into actionā€”lifting up their neighbors.

2. The Mississippi Legislature is in the final stages of passing legislation (SB 2286) designed to both expand access to the stateā€™s prekindergarten program and better define requirements around the use of evidence-based curriculum models in the program. Why is it important to the administration to link the two?

The Early Learning Collaborative Act provides funding for high-quality pre-k programs. Those programs have specific requirements to ensure that the children enrolled receive a high-quality pre-k experience. Expanded access to high-quality programs means that more children will be ready for Kindergarten, thus allowing schools and districts opportunities to intervene earlier when deficiencies are identified. Expansion of the program would provide an opportunity to increase the number of children served within these programs.

The requirements of this program include a curriculum that is evidence-based and proven to show outcomes for children. The Early Learning Collaborative programs use Opening the World of Learning (OWL), which has been shown in the Head Start Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center to be a curriculum that met moderate evidence-base for child outcomes. OWL is the only curriculum reviewed that met this or any higher level.

Linking high-quality curriculum and additional supports has been shown to help prepare children for Kindergarten. In the 2018-19 academic year, Mississippiā€™s State funded pre-k program through the Early Learning Collaborative Act was identified as one of four states that met all of the National Institute for Early Education Researchā€™s (NIEER) ten quality benchmarks in their report.

3. Mississippiā€™s Child Care Crisis Assistance in Isolation Response Plan (CCAIR) was created to expand access to child care for essential workers on the front lines of the pandemic through non-traditional providers. Why was child care a critical consideration in the stateā€™s response and what has the state learned in the process?

Seventy percent of Mississippiā€™s children under the age of 6 , so we made it an early priority to foster a reliable system of safe child care options: both to support children of essential workers, and to support the broader workforce to address the concurrent economic crisis.

The Child Care Crisis Assistance in Isolation Response (CCAIR) plan took a two-prong approach to support parents who were essential workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. First, the plan provided a policy model and ready pathway for the opening of safe temporary child care centers. Second, the CCAIR plan strengthened the stateā€™s vast network of existing child care providers through the provision of additional funding, and an online health and safety training developed from CDC guidelines in cooperation with the Mississippi State Department of Health. Over 650 licensed child care providers and temporary emergency child care sites have completed the CCAIR training which is updated as guidance changes. These child care providers are currently serving over 22,000 children.

Mississippi has learned that despite many businesses closing out of necessity, child care services never ceased. Child care providers have continued operations despite fear of the unknown that has been so prevalent throughout this pandemic. Their role in supporting the economy, families and the social emotional development of young children cannot be underestimated. Mississippiā€™s CCAIR plan offers guidance based on information and best practices to ensure that those parents faced with the difficult reality of group child care during a nationwide pandemic could be assured of the safest possible environment for their children.

4. Mississippi has recently received national attention for its significant gains in elementary grade reading. What is the key to the stateā€™s success and how does the administration plan to sustain and grow these positive outcomes?

The gains in elementary reading are a result of the comprehensive implementation of statewide policy, along with key strategies developed to support the State Board of Educationā€™s strategic plan, especially goals 1, 3 and 4:

1. All Students Proficient and Showing Growth in All Assessed Areas
3. Every Child Has Access to a High-Quality Early Childhood Program and
4. Every School Has Effective Teachers and Leaders

Clear goals assisted in the implementation of the Literacy-Based Promotion Act. The Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) used funding allocated from this legislation to develop a K-3 Professional Development System to build teachersā€™ understanding of the Science of Reading, delivered through the use of Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling (LETRS).

The MDE also deployed literacy coaching support to the schools with the greatest need.

In recent months, the MDE has created a virtual coaching model to support teachers in a digital learning environment, and the agency has continued to release resources to assist teachers and families. Mississippi’s Birth to Grade 12 Comprehensive Literacy Plan is currently under revision, as the MDE enhances support for middle grades teachers and teachers of students with disabilities.

5. You have raised children throughout a political career and now a pandemic. What are the biggest lessons of fatherhood that inform your work as governor?

Fatherhood is definitely humbling! And that has been my experience as Governor so far as well. You need the humility to change course and adapt. You need to be able to take criticism and listen. And you also need the clarity to do what is right, no matter what others say. As much as I enjoy and appreciate the professional work that I do, fatherhood will always be my greatest joy.

To put your trust in the citizens. If governments provide citizens with clear data, in a transparent manner and with the freedom to exercise personal responsibility, they will come through and make the best choice for their family and community. North Dakotans have proven this time and time again, whether through floods, droughts, other natural disasters and now a pandemic, that they care about their neighborsā€™ health as much as their own.

2. What are your biggest concerns for young children and their families during the pandemic and how is the state working to address them?

Over the past five months, families and children have faced an unprecedented level of disruption and adversity. Citizens across the globe have had to learn new ways to work, learn and interact. This adversity has also provided families an opportunity to re-engage in quality time together, away from distractions. Children have had an opportunity to reignite their imagination in the outdoors and focused time with their immediate family.

While this has provided the opportunity for greater connection with family, our children have faced adversity through limited social interaction and the ability to create meaningful friendships during child care, school and extracurricular activities. Weā€™ve also been concerned about a suspected increase in unreported instances of child abuse because of reduced interaction with mandatory reporters in schools.

Working with the Department of Human Services, North Dakota acted quickly to ensure that we provided the necessary resources to support child care services. We worked with the Department of Public Instruction to guarantee every child had the food they needed to survive and thrive. Our teams are working daily to create systems and health protocols to allow our children as many opportunities for social interaction, learning and support as possible. Whether this be in socially distanced activities, traditional classrooms or virtual education, North Dakota is committed to supporting parents and families to provide healthy, safe and quality care during these trying times.

3. North Dakota was one of the very first states to provide financial supports to sustain child care providers during the outbreak. Why was this such an important priority for the administration?

We understand that the child care industry is not only vital for the care and development of children across the state, but it also ensures that essential workforce can maintain services needed for everyday society. Caring for the children of our citizens is what allows teachers, health care providers, law enforcement, emergency responders, energy and food producers, manufacturers, and many other essential workers, to continue providing safe, reliable child care. Therefore, it was vital for North Dakota to use a portion of its CARES Act funding to support the childcare industry by maintaining service during the pandemic and ensuring long-term stability in the industry.

4. 2019-2020 was the fourth year of North Dakotaā€™s Early Childhood Education Program for 4-year-olds. What are the major lessons learned from the program so far ā€” and do you foresee opportunities for it to expand to serve additional children over the coming years?

The early childhood education grant program was advanced by the 2015 64^th Legislative Assembly to assist North Dakota communities with public, private, nonprofit or partnership entities offering early childhood education. While the program has been successful, we are constantly reviewing this program and others to ensure we are providing strategic support for child care to ensure the success of the industry and to address the true challenges for families in North Dakota. There are opportunities to work with the upcoming 2021 legislature to expand these services based on the feedback from families and child care providers.

5. Youā€™re a father of three. What did fatherhood teach you about the importance of the early years?

Children in the early years have an amazing ability to use their imagination and curiosity to drive learning, relationships and a world understanding. Encouraging and embracing that curiosity is something that I instilled in my children each day. When I dropped my kids off at school every day, the last thing I would say is ā€œAsk good questions,ā€ and when they would come home from school, I wouldnā€™t ask them what they learned, but rather what questions they asked. Curiosity takes thoughtfulness, courage and humility, all of which are critical to the development of children into responsible, contributing members of society.

Colorado has fared better than many of our neighboring states because the people of this state have been taking this pandemic seriously ā€” wearing masks, staying at home, keeping their distance from others, practicing proper hygiene and protecting at-risk populations like older Coloradans and those with underlying health conditions. Iā€™m proud that by-and-large, Coloradans are doing right by each other. We wouldnā€™t be making progress as a state if people were ignoring these crucial public health recommendations. We need to keep our guard up and continue to take the proper precautions because the hard truth is weā€™re going to be living with COVID-19 until there is a cure, a vaccine, or ā€” heaven forbid ā€” herd immunity where a large percentage of the population becomes infected and recovers. We need to remember that weā€™re all in this together and we all have a responsibility to one another so we can get past this pandemic and come out the other side stronger.

2. When essential staff needed access to child care this spring, you oversaw the launch of a unique public-private partnership in the Colorado Emergency Child Care Collaborative. What was the state able to accomplish with the support of philanthropy, advocacy groups and other partners that it might not have been able to on a purely governmental basis?

The public-private partnership gave Colorado the opportunity to respond to this crisis very quickly. This was a huge effort. Thanks to funding from Centura Health and the Buell Foundation, in addition to available state funds, we were able to offer child care free-of-charge immediately, before federal funding arrived in the state. This removed any barriers for families who may not have been able to pay otherwise.

The public-private partnership also meant we had diverse experts working on this challenge from the beginning. Our partners in philanthropy and advocacy quickly recognized the problem that would occur during this crisis: that families of essential workers might lose needed child care, and that child care providers might see drops in enrollment. We needed to match those who had lost care with those who were ready and able to provide it, to support both families and the child care sector.

We worked with Nanno, a technology company, and our existing network of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies across the state, to offer parents multiple ways to find the care that they needed, and support providers by matching them with families who needed care. Our child care licensing team and public health officials at the state were able to quickly offer guidance to child care providers to ensure children and staff at child care facilities were safe and healthy.

When we look at these efforts, itā€™s the outcomes that speak to how much this partnership was able to accomplish. We served 5,226 children at 515 child care providers across the state. Iā€™m particularly proud of how this effort helped our health care workers, those on the frontlines in our hospitals and nursing homes. We served 1,592 families in the health care sector, thatā€™s over 2,360 children. The Emergency Child Care Collaborative was a great example of what can happen when we come together during challenging times to help fellow Coloradans.

3. You oversaw the expansion of full-day kindergarten in Colorado and campaigned for governor as a supporter of expanding prekindergarten. Why do you see these investments as critical to the prosperity of Colorado?

Early childhood education, including full-day kindergarten and high-quality preschool, are critical for helping to ensure that every child gets a strong start that prepares them for success in school and in life. While many states, including Oklahoma, had free full-day kindergarten, Colorado parents were paying up to $500 per month for their children to attend a full-day program. For many parents, this meant less money in their pockets available to pay for groceries or their mortgage. Some even decided not to work so that they could stay home with their kids. Free full-day kindergarten helped our economy by saving parents money, allowing them to return to the workforce earlier, and it helped children gain the critical academic and social skills they needed to thrive.

Just like full-day kindergarten, decades of research demonstrates that high-quality preschool increases academic and social skills, helps prevent achievement gaps before they start, and helps improve our economy. These proven outcomes are why it is critical that all of Coloradoā€™s children should have this opportunity, which is why I have prioritized universal preschool. I am thrilled that the legislature has referred a measure to the voters that will lead to high-quality preschool for all 4-year old children by 2023.

4. You recently appointed new members to Coloradoā€™s Early Childhood Leadership Commission. What are the greatest benefits of bringing a diverse set of Colorado stakeholders to the table to work on behalf of kids?

In communities across America, we are having a long-overdue conversation about how to break down the structural inequities that exist across the spectrum of American life. It is so important to apply an equity lens to early childhood education so that we can stop the achievement gap before it starts and ensure that every Colorado child has a great start and a path to future success.

The diverse backgrounds and learning needs of young children throughout our state and nation demand that their adult representatives reflect this diversity. That is the only way all children and families in Colorado will be supported. As the stateā€™s early childhood advisory council responsible for recommending to me and other decision-makers a wide range of public policy changes, the Early Childhood Leadership Commission (ECLC) must consist of individuals with a wide variety of perspectives, experiences, emphases and backgrounds. The ECLC includes leaders from five different state agencies covering human services, education, higher education and health, and is comprised of providers, parents, local decision-makers, nonprofits and foundation and business leaders.

Through my appointments to the ECLC last year and this year, weā€™ve placed a premium on racial, ethnic, gender and geographic diversity, as appropriately required by state law, recognizing the fundamental need of this entity to speak up for children of all backgrounds. As the commission considers the weighty issues of the direction of the stateā€™s programs, systems and policies for young children through legislation, rules, funding and services, it is imperative that we recognize and address the inequities that exist in education. This focus on diversity is how we reach a higher level of common understanding and make the best collective decisions on behalf of all children in our state.

5. Youā€™re the father of two young children. How has fatherhood made you a better Governor?

For starters, it makes you think about how the decisions you make today will impact people 20, 50, 100 years down the road. True leadership is planting trees knowing you may not be around to enjoy their shade ā€” and being a father helps to put that in perspective.

But also, children show you wisdom in ways that you wouldnā€™t expect. Two summers ago, Marlon and I were having a conversation with our son Caspian, who was 6 at the time. He wanted to know the difference between all the various political parties ā€” Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Green and so on. And at the end, he went over to his 4-year-old sister Cora and asked her, ā€œWhat political party are you in?ā€ And without missing a beat she answered, ā€œthe Happy Birthday Party.ā€

It was one of those moments every parent experiences, where your child shows you wisdom you canā€™t get from most adults ā€” making us remember that thereā€™s so much more that unites us than divides us, and that we should be looking out for each other and doing right by each other regardless of political party or any other part of our background.

In the midst of a global pandemic that has disrupted lives and livelihoods, the people of Illinois are coming together. I’m so proud of our fight against this devastating disease. Our administration captures that unsinkable spirit with the ā€œAll In Illinoisā€ campaign, which was launched in early April.Ā  This campaign is a statewide effort to reinforce the stateā€™s core message, backed by scientists and public health experts: stay at home and stay safe.Ā  The first series of online videos featured celebrities from Illinois who reiterated the need for Illinoisans to stay at home and practice social distancing to stay healthy.Ā  Ā 

Over time, the data revealed that black and brown communities were hit hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic because so many are considered to be essential workers who are often more exposed and are at greater risk.Ā  In response, on May 18, Gov. JB Pritzker and I released additional online video messages and radio announcements through the initiative that focused on the disproportionate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in communities of color. Ā Community influencers were used to help reiterate how important it is to continue to practice social distancing, to wash your hands and to wear a mask or face covering in public. The influencers were critical in assisting Gov. Pritzker and me to spread the word, asking all Illinoisans to join us and be all in for Illinois.

We have videos and radio awareness messages from people like J Ivy, a national poet and NAACP Image Award winner, to Juan Huerta, community relations director for the City of Springfield. The messages can be found online at and on my social media platforms: Twitter: Facebook: , and Instagram: .

2. Illinois has made it a priority to support the child care industry during the outbreak, providing financial incentives for providers serving in an emergency care capacity. Why did you feel this was important and what has been the response from providers?Ā 

Thereā€™s an African proverb thatā€™s now universally popular, and it says, ā€œIt takes a village to raise a child.ā€ Pritzker and I realize that the child care industry is part of the essential foundation that helps our children develop intellectually and emotionally. The industry allows working parents to focus on being productive on their jobs.

With the onset of COVID-19, our essential and critical care workersĀ needed help, so they could, in turn, help the public. We allowed licensed programs that are now closed, and on-site programs, to apply for an emergency child care license to fulfill that need.Ā As a mother of four girls, I know firsthand how important child care was in the development of my daughtersā€™ growth, goals and their love for education. So providing incentives for providers serving in an emergency care capacity during this crisis was just the right thing to do.

3. As both a Governor and philanthropist, Pritzker has been a leading voice on the importance of the earliest years of life. What about the period from prenatal to three most captures the administrationā€™s imagination and how do you hope to translate this into policy in Illinois?Ā 

A critical time in a mother-to-beā€™s pregnancy is the early stages of prenatal care. So often, expectant moms in the inner city and rural areas do not have access to quality care.

Pritzker and I recognize the incredible, indelible impact that the first three years of life has on child development. We believe in growing programs where there is the greatest need. For example, we have expanded . It gives pregnant women and families resources that encourage learning, with an emphasis on reading and more. This will foster a love for education. This program takes particular interest in moms-to-be who are considered at-risk.Ā We are doing our best to provide holistic support to families across the socio-economic spectrum to ensure that every child is kindergarten ready by their first day of school.

4. The administration recently seated a commission to study the state’s early childhood education system, with the goal of making Illinois ā€œthe best state in the nationā€ for raising young children. What do you hope for the commission to accomplish over the coming year?Ā 

The commission is about the work of helping the state of Illinois bring equity to early childhood education. A childā€™s zip code should not limit their access or the quality of the education they receive. A poor education puts potential on pause. Equity in education, a good education is the great equalizer of promise and the active development of future civic-minded laborers, educators and other professionals.Ā  We anticipate that the commission is taking a hard look at funding goals, as well as the mechanisms to meet those goals. We are looking for strong, concise recommendations that we can build into a robust action plan that we can execute quickly and effectively. The Governor expects to receive the recommendations in January of 2021.

5. Youā€™re the mother of four daughters. How has parenthood informed your approach to governing?

When a person governs, and when a person is a parent, you are very much aware of what you owe the people you are responsible for. In government and parenthood, there is a high level of protection, understanding, compassion and the ability to make tough, and sometimes, unpopular decisions. But in both government and parenthood, those decisions should always be made with the best interest of all at heart. Abraham Lincoln famously said, ā€œA house divided against itself cannot stand.ā€ If you govern or parent with a style that is at odds with your partner, the outcome will be detrimental. So the positive input, respect, mutual compassion and focus used to raise our daughters, mirrors the collaborative effort that Pritzker and I use in our effort to be effective leaders of Illinois. We are proud to serve.

Idaho offers an unparalleled quality of life for its citizens. Before the pandemic and our stateā€™s economic setbacks, Idahoā€™s economy had one of the fastest growing economies in the nation. Many of the people moving into Idaho are coming from states with higher costs of living and fewer opportunities. Under my administration, weā€™ve balanced the reduction of state regulatory burdens and fiscal responsibility, with making targeted investments in education and other areas of state government which are important to our prosperity. All of these factors have made Idaho an attractive place to live, work and raise families.

2. Youā€™ve identified early literacy as a cornerstone of your education agenda. Why is this a top issue for you as Governor and what are you doing to address it?

First of all, itā€™s the right thing to do for our students. Literacy is at the foundation of achievement and Iā€™m convinced itā€™s the best education investment we can make for the long-term success of our students. The largest portion of our stateā€™s budget is on K-12 education. Those students who read at grade level, particularly by the end of the third grade, are more likely to succeed in other subjects and are more likely to graduate high school on time.

Recognizing this, my first education priority as a new governor last year was to double Idahoā€™s K-3 literacy invention dollars for those students not reading proficiently. For many years, Idaho has had a statewide assessment, the Idaho Reading Indicator (IRI). Although the IRI has been updated a few times over the years, itā€™s hard to overstate the importance of this statewide assessment in monitoring our studentsā€™ progress and the ability of our educators to determine the proper reading interventions for their students.

3. You recently signed off on the stateā€™s first-ever pursuit of federal Preschool Development Grant funding and issued an executive order creating the Idaho Early Childhood Advisory Council. How do these actions complement your overall agenda for improving the lives and livelihoods of Idahoans?

Iā€™m very excited about this opportunity. With early literacy as my number one education priority, early childhood education and greater opportunities for our students to be school-ready will ensure more students are on track to read in those early years. We know that students who receive high quality early childhood opportunities are on track to learn throughout their school careers.

This grant will allow our early childhood leaders the opportunity to survey this landscape in our state, and strategically support and improve Idahoā€™s early childhood infrastructure. The economic and educational impacts of this effort cannot be overstated and Iā€™m eager to see the work of the Idaho Early Childhood Advisory Council, which is helping oversee this grant.

4. As a largely rural state, what special challenges does Idaho face in ensuring high quality education for all children, and how is the administration working to overcome the challenges?

Rural schools are where Idahoā€™s constitutional obligation for educating our students is really tested. I am a product of rural Idaho and know these challenges firsthand. Rural communities have challenges when it comes to funding their schools. Retention of quality teachers and support staff is a constant challenge, particularly for border communities. Internet connectivity and CTE opportunities are other potential barriers.

One area of focus in my first year is on efforts to recruit and retain educators, beginning with starting teacher pay last year and extending to our veteran teacher salaries this year. This increased state support benefits rural and smaller districts, with fewer resources to attract and keep their most effective educators.

5. You have two adult sons and five grandchildren. How have your experiences as a father and grandfather influenced your approach to governing?

My grandchildren are sixth generation Idahoans. This makes the job more rewarding and ignites my passion to make Idaho the best possible place for them and future generations of Idahoans.

Missouri and its people have been important to me all my life. Missouri has many qualities that make it one of the top states in the United States. Once you see Missouri, you will notice the beauty of the rivers, farm lands, rolling hills and the cities. Missouri is a special place to live because of the people and their values. It is made up of hard-working people who do whatā€™s right. Missouri is also a great place to live and work because of its location. Our state sits in middle of the United States. We are the gateway for transporting people and goods all over this country, as well as overseas. Nonetheless, the cost of living is appealing as well. You can live, work or do business at an affordable price.

2. As the former Sheriff of Polk County, you have strong ties to the criminal justice community. How did your time as Sheriff inform your thinking about the importance of early childhood education and other prevention strategies?

I was a sheriff for 22 years. What I learned the most is that we must be proactive instead of reactive. Bettering our communities starts with taking care of our children. I believe that if our childcare, preschool and early childhood programs improve, criminal activity will decrease in the future. The early childhood programs reach children at critical times in their lives when their brains and social skills are developing. If we focus on the early years, we can help prevent lives that seem to have no purpose and seek criminal activity.

3. Missouri just received a second Preschool Development Grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. What did the state learn through the needs assessment required by the initial planning grant and how will it take action to address these needs moving forward?

In the needs assessment work, we heard from primarily three audiences: families, providers of early childhood care and education, and stakeholders of the early childhood care and education system. Familiesā€™ primary concerns were about access, availability and affordability. Providers expressed the need for coordination of professional development and practice alignment. Stakeholders see a need to coordinate service and support to families by better coordination between state agencies.

With the Preschool Development Grant B-5 Renewal, we are looking at opportunities to coordinate enrollment and referral systems at a regional point for families. We will also work to include professionals working in home visiting programs in Missouriā€™s professional development registry and calendar system, building towards one professional development system for all early childhood professionals. Our state child-serving agencies will also be enhancing data systems to identify and provide more efficient and effective services.

4. You recently seated a Child Care Working Group to explore ways to ensure quality and safety within the child care settings. How is the state working with preschool providers to ensure all Missouri children get off to great start?

Missouri preschool providers gave valuable stakeholder input to the Child Care Working Group. The child care working group made recommendations to include changes to child care licensing – removing outdated or unnecessary requirements, ensuring transparency by incorporating policies into rule and revising child care staff training requirements. The working group also enhanced interagency collaboration, resulting in more immediate responses to safety needs within our early childhood care and education programs.

There are a number of providers voluntarily participating in Missouriā€™s Quality Assurance Report pilot, which is Missouriā€™s version of a Quality Rating and Improvement System. This pilot offers an opportunity for providers to receive feedback on their program quality. It also provides them with quality improvement strategies to support continuous quality improvement.

Missouri also worked closely with preschool providers to update the Stateā€™s Early Childhood Strategic Plan following the PDG B-5 needs assessment. Under this updated plan, Missouri will begin a multi-year effort to establish and support a coordinated and aligned comprehensive system of early learning and care. Missouriā€™s child serving agencies are on a mission to provide every Missouri family with opportunities to raise children that are safe, healthy and ready to learn.

5. You have six grandchildren. What have you learned as a father and grandfather about the importance of the earliest years of life?

The first few years of a childā€™s life are extremely important. From pregnancy through the first five years of life, the environment, the relationships, the health and the learning children are exposed to shapes them for years to come.

North Carolina is one of the fastest-growing states in America. People come because of the climate; the beauty of the mountains and coast; our cities and our rural communities; and our universities, community colleges and schools. They come because of good jobs and opportunity.

As Governor, I have a mission statement. I want a North Carolina where people are better educated, where theyā€™re healthier, where they have more money in their pockets and where they have the opportunity to live a more abundant and purposeful life.

This mission starts with a commitment to early childhood education. North Carolina has a strong history of leadership, innovation and wise investments in high-quality early learning and nurturing healthy development. However, we must do more to expand access to ensure all children get the early foundation for learning they deserve.

North Carolinaā€™s students have a constitutional right to a sound basic education, as affirmed in the long-standing court case Leandro v. State of North Carolina. We need to make significant investments in our public schools, strengthen our teacher and principal pipelines, and greatly expand early childhood learning opportunities for our most at-risk students to meet the stateā€™s obligation. We are working on a specific plan now to get the job done.

2. What did you learn about the importance of early learning as the father of three adult daughters?

My wife Kristin and I look back on those days when they were young and appreciate all of those moments with each child. We recognize that those early interactions and experiences were foundational to who our girls are today as adults. Thereā€™s no doubt the foundation for future learning, health and well-being is built in the early childhood years. When we give all children a fair chance for a strong foundation in their first years of life, we give them a better future and create healthier and more vibrant communities for all of us.

3. North Carolina has distinguished itself across the country as a leader in early childhood. To what do you attribute the stateā€™s success?

Early childhood is an integral part of our education system from cradle to career. North Carolinaā€™s leadership and commitment to the hard work it takes to build strong early childhood programs with Smart Start, the first statewide early childhood public-private partnership in the country and NC Pre-K, one of the highest quality pre-k programs nationwide, are great examples. Our early childhood initiatives have also been strongly supported on-the-ground so that they work well for children and families. We keep our focus on what works best, using data, evidence and evaluation to guide our work toward the best outcomes for our stateā€™s children.

4. You recently directed the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services and the North Carolina Early Childhood Advisory Council to work with public and private stakeholders to develop a comprehensive Early Childhood Action Plan. Why did you feel like a formal plan was important and how do you see the state making use of it?

My Executive Order in August 2018 instructed the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services to lead the development of the Early Childhood Action Plan, in coordination with my Early Childhood Advisory Council. Nearly 1,500 stakeholders, representing experts in early childhood, families from across the state and other leaders, provided input and feedback in drafting the plan.

The plan shows what coordinated, statewide public-private action is needed to achieve 10 measurable goals for young children that address health, safety, family resilience and early learning outcomes. A public data dashboard tracking measurable targets for success supports the data-driven decision making in the plan.

Defining what we want for all children in our state, and then using metrics that tell us how weā€™re doing will better serve our stateā€™s children and hold everyone accountable.

5. North Carolina has a great asset in Smart Start, a network of 75 local non-profits focused on school readiness at the community level. What could other states learn from North Carolinaā€™s efforts to build early childhood leadership at the grassroots level?

When I served in the North Carolina General Assembly, I supported Gov. Hunt in creating Smart Start. The power of Smart Start is that over 25 years it built partnerships within communities so that everybody, from business, community leaders, educators to families, plays a role in the development and early education of young children. Strong partnerships within communities continue to thrive even in times of fewer resources.

Seventy-five local Smart Start partnerships, with oversight and support from the state organization, provide early childhood system infrastructure and a continuum of services for children and families from birth to age 5 in all 100 counties. Smart Start is designed to be responsive to community needs, so the local organizations use data to understand the needs, offer a variety of services and resources, and coordinate multiple funding sources to support early childhood development and learning in their community.

All photographs courtesy of the Governorā€™s Office.