In October 2008, Pre-K Now hosted Improving Pre-K for Native Americans to learn about opportunities to increase pre-k access and quality for Native American children and families. Our esteemed panel included: Elizabeth Burmaster, State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Wisconsin; Dr. Tarajean Yazzie-Mintz of Indiana University-Bloomington; and President Anne Belleua and Senior Manager Antonia Dobrec of the National Indian Head Start Directors Association. The discussion focused on collaboration between state pre-k, tribal governments, and Indian Head Start.
While reauthorizing Head Start in 2007, Congress added a new provision requiring every state to create or designate a State Advisory Council to better coordinate early education and care services. Pre-K Now has two new resources designed to help policymakers and advocates navigate the process of setting up Councils and seize the opportunities offered by them.
Families everywhere struggle to find high-quality pre-k programs for their children, but the problem is even more acute in rural areas. Pre-K Now has come out with recommendations for federal policymakers to help states meet the unique challenges of rural pre-k.
Pre-K Now held a briefing for congressional staff, cosponsored by Sen. Hillary Clinton and Sen. Kit Bond, on October 1. Hear what a governor, three superintendents, two directors of early childhood programs, and a national teacher of the year think Congress should do to increase families' access to quality, state-funded pre-k.
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