Making the Case for Early Education in Nevada
The United Way of Southern Nevada (UWSN) was not satisfied with the status quo. After assessing the state’s existing early childhood education system, the group used its observations to develop a campaign that would improve the standards for quality, affordable, and accessible early childhood programs. Since UWSN identified early on the importance of getting key decision makers on board, its work began with them. Many of the first steps were to get people to understand the value of early childhood education. “Businesses and many elected officials thought it was just daycare,” said Terri Janison, Vice President of Community Development at UWSN. “They didn’t understand the importance or the connection to educational success and long term health for the community.”
UWSN knew that in order to effectively persuade policymakers, they needed to keep their message concise and powerful. UWSN decided that using relevant data would make the most impact. “We started with key data points to begin to educate decision makers, including lawmakers, business leaders, parents, and childcare providers,” Janison said. For example, the group shared that almost 70% of all children do not participate in early childhood programs and, at most, only 5% of the state’s early childcare centers are accredited.
UWSN also recognized that building relationships was critical to the success of their campaign. UWSN partnered with the Children’s Advocacy Alliance and Nevada Institute for Children’s Research and Policy to develop a series of issue briefs focused on specific elements of a stronger early childhood education infrastructure. These briefs covered a variety of topics, including accreditation, quality rating improvement systems, and kindergarten readiness and teacher training requirements. They also offered key recommendations for improving the statewide childcare standards.
The campaign quickly found a way to make the information in the issue briefs more than words on a page. For example, it organized a Week of the Child event at the capitol, which featured early childcare providers from around the state speaking one-on-one with lawmakers about the impact of early education.
Additionally, a term-limited citizen legislature in Nevada provided unique opportunities to educate policymakers. According to Nelson Araujo, Senior Director of Collective Impact and Diversity at UWSN, providing knowledge and training about these issues to policymakers—especially those new to the legislature each election cycle—was key. Janison added, “We used the materials in advocacy briefings and trained legislators, along with the community, about what early childhood education meant…to parents, childcare providers, and businesses.”
The business case for early childhood education has been particularly important, she noted. Reaching out to and engaging businesses gave this sector the opportunity to step up around the issue, though Janison said more efforts are needed to increase the business community’s investment in the future.
Materials used to engage various stakeholders were translated into Spanish through a partnership with R.E.A.C.H., the nonprofit arm of the Mexican Consulate that supports programs for family, education, and health in the Latino community. Providing the right tools to this community had been difficult in the past, but a Spanish language one-pager and radio public service announcement successfully pulled in crowds of close to 500 participants for community events about early childhood education.
As a result of the aforementioned statewide education efforts, the state increased the number of training hours required to work in an early childhood setting, a key step toward a higher quality early childhood education system. Janison said there are still challenges to getting everyone to understand the complex issues around childhood education, but she is optimistic about what’s next.
Araujo noted that UWSN’s efforts to look at the community, assess current work, and identify gaps helped bring partners together from the start. “You can’t go wrong when you bring passionate community leaders together to rally around an issue and drive change,” he said.
To reach Terri Janison, email [email protected]. To learn more about UWSN, visit http://uwsn.org/.
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Date added: September 15, 2015