Early Learning Fellows | Class Six

1/5/2018

Overview
Legislative Corner
Blog Posts
Additional Resources

Contact

Alison May / 303-856-1473

The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) is pleased to continue facilitating 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.

We are pleased to offer a legislative Fellows program to legislators and legislative staff at no cost. NCSL’s Early Learning Fellows program is made possible by the Alliance for Early Success, Buffett Early Childhood Fund and Heising-Simons Foundation

On this page you will find all information related to the sixth round of Early Learning Fellows.

Representative Joan Ballweg, Wisconsin
Representative Christine Barber, Massachusetts
Representative Jill Billings, Wisconsin
Senator Sean Bowie, Arizona
Representative John 'Bam' Carney, Kentucky
Representative Amy Carter, Georgia
Senator Troy Carter, Louisiana
Senator Elizabeth Crowley, Rhode Island
Representative Bruce Cutler, Utah
Representative Grace Diaz, Rhode Island
Representative Robert Dickey, Georgia
Representative Rick Edmonds, Louisiana
Representative Joanne Ferrary, New Mexico
Representative Stephanie Hilferty, Louisiana
Representative Sandra Hollins, Utah
Representative Thomas Holmes, South Dakota
Representative Tim Kelly, Michigan
Representative Hy Kloc, Idaho
Representative Javier Martinez, New Mexico
Senator Beth Mizell, Louisiana
Assemblymember Stacey Pheffer Amato, New York
Senator Elaine Phillips, New York
Representative Jessie Rodriguez, Wisconsin
Representative Holli Sullivan, Indiana
Representative Kathy Swan, Missouri
Representative Elizabeth 'Liz' Thomson, New Mexico
Councilmember Robert White, District of Columbia
Assemblymember Tremaine Wright, New York
Representative George E. Young Sr., Oklahoma

Legislative Staff

Josh Foster
Director of Gubernatorial Appointments and
Missouri Senate Majority Caucus
Christina McCorquodale
New Mexico Legislative Education Study Committee

NCSL Staff

Rochelle Finzel
Group director, Children and Families Program
Madeleine Webster
Policy specialist, Education Program
Alison May
Staff coordinator, Children and Families Program
Matthew Weyer
Senior policy specialist, Education Program
Julie Poppe
Program manager, Children and Families Program

Kickoff Meeting: Building State Leadership

Meeting Location: Magnolia Hotel Omaha | 1615 Howard St., Omaha, NE 68102

Agenda | Participant List

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:

To view a larger image of the group, click on the picture.

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.

**Kickoff Meeting Agenda**
Sunday, June 25
6-8 p.m.	Reception and Welcome Courtyard
Monday, June 26
8-8:30 a.m.	Breakfast & Networking
8:30-9 a.m.	Welcome and Overview of the Day
9-10:30 a.m.	Brain Science: How Early Experiences Shape the Brain Melanie Berry, University of Oregon The Impact of Early Adversity on the Developing Brain: Prevention and Treatment Handout
10:30-10:45 a.m.	Break
10:45 a.m.-12:15 p.m.	Economic Return on Early Childhood and Sustaining Gains Rob Grunewald, Minneapolis Federal Reserve Early Childhood Development: Economic Development with a High Public Return Investments in Young Children Yield High Public Returns Sustaining Early Childhood Education Gains
12:15-1 p.m.	Lunch
1-2 p.m.	Nebraska's Achievement Gap Challenge Sam Meisels, Buffett Early Childhood Institute at the University of Nebraska
1:15-2:45 p.m.	Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) and Early Childhood Danielle Ewen, EducationCounsel, D.C ESSA Handout
2:45-3 p.m.	Break
3-4:30 p.m.	Sing a Song of Sixpence: An Early Childhood Public-Private Partnership Michael Medwick, First Five Nebraska Amy Bornemeier, Nebraska Children and Families Foundation
4:30-5 p.m.	Closing Thoughts and Reflections
6-8 p.m.	Reception and Dinner
Tuesday, June 27
8-8:30 a.m.	Breakfast
8:30-9 a.m.	Planning and Networking
9-11:45 a.m.	Tour and Site Visit Educare of Omaha at Kellom Elementary
11:45a.m.-Noon	Next Steps and Wrap Up

Second Meeting: Policy, Research and Innovations

Meeting Location: Denver Airport Marriott at Gateway Park | 16455 E. 40th Circle, Aurora, CO 80011

Agenda | Participant List | Speaker Biographies

Sunday, Sept. 17
6-8 p.m.	Reception
Monday, Sept. 18
8-8:30 a.m.	Breakfast & Networking
8:30-8:45 a.m.	Welcome and Overview of the Day
8:45-9:15 a.m.	Fight Crime: Invest in Kids Speaker: Sheriff Michael McIntosh, Adams County Sheriff's Office, Colorado
9:15-10:30 a.m.	Power of Play and Helping Young Children Develop Self-Regulation and Executive Function Speaker: Deb Leong, Tools of the Mind, Colorado [Presentation]
10:45 a.m.-Noon	Home Visiting and Parent Engagement Session Introduction: Representative Kathy Swan (R-Mo.) Speakers: Jill Filene, National Home Visiting Resource Center Allison Mosqueda, Invest in Kids / Nurse Family Partnership [Presentation] [Presentation]
Noon-1 p.m.	Lunch
1-2:15 p.m.	STEM in the Early Years Moderator: Matt Weyer, NCSL Speakers: Doug Clements, University of Denver Julie Sarama, University of Denver [Handout] [Handout]
2:15-2:45 p.m.	Early Learning Plan Development
2:45-4 p.m.	Expulsion and Suspension in Early Childhood Settings Moderator: Julie Poppe, NCSL Speakers: Carey McCann, BUILD Representative Susan Lontine (D-Colo.) Representative James Coleman (D-Colo.) [Presentation] [Handout]
4-5 p.m.	Early Childhood Data Speakers: Carlise King, Early Childhood Data Collaborative, Maryland Colin Tackett, Colorado Department of Human Services [Presentation]
5-5:15 p.m.	Closing Thoughts and Reflections
6-8 p.m.	Reception and Dinner
Tuesday, September 19
8-8:30 a.m.	Breakfast
8:30-9:45 a.m.	Early Care and Education Financing Speaker:Jeanna Capito, BUILD Initiative [Presentation] [Handout]
9:45-10:45 a.m.	Early Learning Plan Development
10:45-11 a.m.	Break
11 a.m.-Noon	Early Learning Topics ‘Speed Dating’ Session Topics to include: chronic absenteeism, children’s caucuses, school finance formulas, and 3rd grade reading.
Noon-1 p.m.	Lunch
1-2 p.m.	Promoting Quality Child Care Through an Effective Workforce Speaker: Jennifer Stedron, Early Milestones Colorado [Presentation]
2-2:45 p.m.	School Readiness, Transitions and K-3 Alignment Speakers: Bruce Atchison, Education Commission of the States (ECS) Matt Weyer, NCSL [Presentation]
2:45-3 p.m.	Closing Thoughts and Reflections

Webinars

State Preschool Programs: Annual Yearbook Update

Thursday, July 20 | 2 p.m. ET/ 1 p.m. CT/ Noon MT/ 11 a.m. PT

Hear from Steve Barnett with the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) about the key findings from the annual State Preschool Yearbook. Collecting data since 2001, Barnett will highlight the data and national trends of the states focusing on quality and access, and the latest state spending numbers on preschool programs.
Moderators: Alison May and Matt Weyer, NCSL
Speaker: W. Steven Barnett, National Institute for Early Education Research at Rutgers University (NIEER)
Allison H. Friedman-Krauss, National Institute for Early Education Research at Rutgers University (NIEER)
Legislative Respondent: Senator Brice Wiggins (R-Miss.)
An archived copy is available.

Dual Language Learners

Thursday, Aug. 24 | 2 p.m. ET/ 1 p.m. CT/ Noon MT/ 11 a.m. PT

Dual language learners (DLLs) are preschool through third grade students who are still mastering their native language while also learning English. Hear from a DLL policy expert and a state legislator on policy strategies to effectively serve this group.
Moderator: Matt Weyer, NCSL
Speaker: Janie T. Carnock, New America
Danielle Winterhalter, former chief of staff for State Representative Joe Gallegos (D-Ore.)
Legislative Respondent: Representative John Carney (R-Ky.)
An archived copy is available.

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.

August 2017 Edition | January 2018 Edition |

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.

NCSL's Early Learning Fellows Convene for Second Face-to-Face Meeting | Oct. 13, 2017
Batter Up at the NCSL Early Learning Fellows Leadoff Meeting | July 25, 2017
Have You Heard About NCSL's Early Learning Fellows Program | March 14, 2017
View other Early Learning Fellows Blog Posts