Early Learning Fellows | Class Seven

9/25/2018

Contact

Alison May / 303-856-1473

The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) is pleased to continue offering an Early Learning Fellows program for state legislators and staff.

States have been leading efforts to improve the quality of child care, implementing preschool and innovative ways to support families with young children across the age spectrum from birth to kindergarten and into the early grades. They are also addressing challenges with governance, financing, data systems and teacher training/professional development.

Thanks to the generous support of the Alliance for Early Success, Heising-Simons Foundation, Mattel, Inc. and W.K. Kellogg Foundation, this program is available to a limited number of legislators and legislative staff at no cost.

Below is information about the seventh cohort (2018) of Early Learning Fellows.

Legislator Participants
Senator Omar Aquino, Illinois	Senator Stephanie Kunze, Ohio
Representative Rhonda Baker, Oklahoma	Senator Lou Ann Linehan, Nebraska
Senator Regina Barrow, Louisiana	Senator Dominick Moreno, Colorado
Representative Michael (Mike) Bergan, Iowa	Representative Jim Neely, Missouri
Representative Kathy Bernier, Wisconsin	Representative Roz Peterson, Minnesota
Senator Wesley Bishop, Louisiana	Representative Daire Rendon, Michigan
Representative Carol Bush, Oklahoma	Senator William (Bill) Soules, New Mexico
Representative Ty Cullen, Hawaii	Senator Dinah Sykes, Kansas
Representative Harriet Drummond, Alaska	Senator Larry Taylor, Texas
Delegate Eric Ebersole, Maryland	Representative Polly Thomas, Louisiana
Representative Holly Grange, North Carolina	Representative Nancy VanderMeer, Wisconsin
Senator Mattie Hunter, Illinois	Representative Pebblin Warren, Alabama
Assemblymember Ellen Jaffee, New York	Senator Lisa Wellman, Washington
Representative Sheri Jesiel, Illinois	Senator David Wilson, Alaska
Senator Michelle Kidani, Hawaii

Legislative Staff Participants
Shelby Armentrout, North Carolina	Tim Mathis, Louisiana
Megan Comlossy, Nevada	Taylor Smiley Wolfe, Oregon
Josie Gerrietts, Iowa

Kickoff Meeting: Building State Leadership

Meeting Location: The Westin Denver Downtown | 1672 Lawrence St., Denver, CO 80202
The kickoff meeting set the stage for the work with the Early Learning Fellows and provided issue content in a peer learning community setting with additional facilitated small group time. Goals included:

Build knowledge among legislators about new research and policy.
Promote an exchange of ideas and solutions related to early learning, the early achievement gap, and many other birth to age 8 issues.
Introduce and connect legislators to other legislative leaders.
Provide fellows with practical information they can use in their state, including an early learning action plan.
Facilitate access to leading researchers and policy experts.

Meeting Agenda | Participant List | Speaker Biographies

**Kickoff Meeting Agenda**
Wednesday, June 6
6-8 p.m.	Reception and Welcome V's Lounge
Thursday, June 7 \| Lawrence AB– Mezzanine Level
8-8:30 a.m.	Breakfast & Networking
8:30-9 a.m.	Welcome, Introductions and Overview of the Day
9-10:30 a.m.	Brain Science: How Early Experiences Shape the Brain Sarah Lytle, Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences, University of Washington Presentation
10:30-10:45 a.m.	Break
10:45 a.m.-12:15 p.m.	The Opportunity Gap, its Economic Implications and How Data Can Help Katrina Miller, Statistical Analysis System Margie Vandeven, Statistical Analysis System Presentation \| Presentation \| Handout \| NCSL Infographic \| NCSL LegisBrief
12:15-1 p.m.	Lunch
1-2 p.m.	Roundtable: Birth through Five Policy Priorities
2-2:30 p.m.	Thinking about your Early Learning Plan
2:30-3:45 p.m.	Promoting Quality Child Care Through an Effective Workforce Albert Wat, Alliance for Early Success Lauren Hogan, National Association for the Education of Young Children Jennifer Stedron, Early Milestones Colorado Presentation
3:45-4 p.m.	Break
4-5:15 p.m.	Home Visiting: A Legislative Primer Kay Johnson, Johnson Group Consulting Presentation \| Handout
5:15-5:30 p.m.	Closing Thoughts and Reflections
Friday, June 8 \| Lawrence AB– Mezzanine Level
8-8:30 a.m.	Breakfast and Networking
8:30 a.m.-Noon	Tour and Site Visit Educare of Denver on the Clayton Campus
Noon-1 p.m.	Lunch
1-2 p.m.	Social-Emotional Learning and Competencies Phil Strain, National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations, University of Denver Molly Yost, Early Milestones Colorado Presentation \| Presentation
2-2:30 p.m.	Next Steps and Wrap Up

Second Meeting: Policy, Research and Innovations

Meeting Location: Lowes Minneapolis Hotel | 601 1st Avenue North, Minneapolis, MN, 55403

Agenda | Participant List | Speaker Biographies

Second meeting agenda
Sunday, Aug. 26
6-8 p.m.	Reception
Monday, Aug. 27
8-8:30 a.m.	Breakfast & Networking
8:30-9 a.m.	A Sheriff’s Perspective for Investing in Kids Sheriff Rich Stanek, Hennepin County Sheriff's Office, Minnesota Fight Crime: Invest in Kids
9-10 a.m.	The Economic Case for Investing in Early Childhood Art Rolnick, Humphrey School of Public Affairs, University of Minnesota NCSL Podcast
10-10:15 a.m.	Break
10:15-11:15 a.m.	Early Care and Education Costs, Funding Sources and Financing Options Elizabeth Davis, National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine Committee on Financing Early Care and Education with a Highly Qualified Workforce Abbie Gruwell, NCSL DC Office Julie Poppe, NCSL Denver Office Handout \| Presentation \| NCSL Presentation Report: Transforming the Financing of Early Care and Education
11:15-11:45 a.m.	Early Learning Plan Development
11:45 a.m.-1 p.m.	Lunch
1-2 p.m.	Early STEM: Research, Practice and Policy Michele Mazzocco, Institute of Child Development at the University of Minnesota NCSL Presentation \| Presentation \| Resources
2-2:15 p.m.	Break
2:15-3:15 p.m.	Using Early Childhood Data to Inform Policymaking Carlise King, Early Childhood Data Collaborative Anita Larson, Minnesota Department of Education Presentation
4-5 p.m.	Child Care Access, Affordability and Quality Dionne Dobbins, Child Care Aware of America Michelle McCready, Child Care Aware of America Presentation
6-8 p.m.	Reception and Dinner
Tuesday, Aug. 28
8:30-9:30 a.m.	Breakfast Plenary: Is Play the Secret Sauce? Jody Sherman Levos, Mattel, Inc. Presentation
9:30-10:30 a.m.	Roundtable Dialogue: Early Care and Education Across the Aisle Katharine Stevens, American Enterprise Institute Simon Workman, Center for American Progress Presentation
10:30-10:45 a.m.	Break
10:45-11:30 a.m.	What Can NCSL Do For You and Your State Presentation
11:30 a.m.-Noon	Finalize your Early Learning Plan
Noon-1 p.m.	Lunch
1-2 p.m.	Supplemental Programming to Develop Early Literacy and Numeracy Skills Lindsay Dolce, Reading & Math, Inc. Presentation
2-2:30 p.m.	Closing Thoughts and Reflections

Webinars

Suspension and Expulsion in the Early Years

Thursday, July 12 | 2 p.m. ET/ 1 p.m. CT/ Noon MT/ 11 a.m. PT

Moderators: Alison May and Julie Poppe, NCSL
Speaker: Carey McCann, BUILD Initiative
Legislative Respondent: Senator Omar Aquino (D-Ill.) | HB2663
Senator Peggy Lehner (R-Ohio) | SB246
Senator Gayle Manning (R-Ohio) | SB246
Suspension and expulsion for very young children are stressful and negative experiences that can impact child outcomes. This webinar will provide a review of what we know from the research on and dimensions of early childhood expulsions and suspensions and the potential role of state policy and supports. The webinar will include legislative examples and comments from state policymakers that were involved with their state’s legislative approach.
Learn more and access an archived copy online.

A Look at Prekindergarten Across the Country

Thursday, Aug. 16 | 2 p.m. ET/ 1 p.m. CT/ Noon MT/ 11 a.m. PT

Moderators: Alison May and Jennifer Palmer, NCSL
Speaker: Lori Connors-Tadros, Center on Enhancing Early Learning Outcomes (CEELO)
Karin Garver, National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER)
Legislative Respondent: Representative Terri Collins (R-Ala.)
Hear from Lori Connors-Tadros with the Center on Enhancing Early Learning Outcomes (CEELO) as she shares information about the state of prekindergarten across the country. You will learn about the 2017 State Preschool Yearbook, learn about calculating costs for quality and hear from legislative colleagues who have worked directly with improving quality and access to prekindergarten in their state.
Learn more and access an archived copy online.

Legislative Corner

Fellows blue banner with image of children and capitol As a way to keep all fellows connected with one another and to highlight the terrific work being done in your state, NCSL staff will periodically highlight a fellow and the work they are doing.

View other Legislative Corners | April 2018 | Sept. 2018

Blog Posts

Occasionally the Early Learning Fellows program will be featured in the NCSL Blog and when it is the posts will be shared here.