Satellite Conference ENGAGING TEXAS LEADERS IN THE PREK MOVEMENT

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Satellite ConferenceENGAGING TEXAS LEADERS IN
THE PRE-K MOVEMENT

• November 10, 2005

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Todays Goal

• Have a community conversation about how to
  promote the value of pre-k to regular people and
  political candidates.

Factoid from Pre-k Now Good parenting is
enhanced by a high-quality pre-k program.
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Pre-K programs in Texas include

• Child Care (including nonprofit and for profit,
  corporate sponsored, faith-based, and home-based)
• Federal Head Start Early Head Start
• Public Pre-kindergarten in ISDs
• Private Pre-Kindergarten

Factoid from Pre-k Now Providing voluntary,
high-quality pre-k to all children is as much
about economic development as it is a tool to
improve educational outcomes.
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WHY PRE-K Will Be THE Issue In 2006 and 2007

• National movement to promote school readiness of
  young children
• Early childhood education has emerged as one of
  the few bipartisan issues in Texas

Factoid from Pre-k Now Weve underestimated
young children for too long. If we want better
students, we must begin by strengthening pre-k.
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WHY PRE-K ? (continued)

• Early care and education field is more unified
  than ever
• Engaging Candidates in the 2006 Elections
• Election year brings opportunities to educate the
  media

Factoid from Pre-k Now Weve underestimated
young children for too long. If we want better
students, we must begin by strengthening pre-k.
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THE QUESTION TO ASK ELECTED OFFICIALS
CANDIDATES

• Do you support expanded access to quality pre-k
  programs including Child Care, Head Start, and
  Public Pre-k?

Factoid from Pre-k Now Pre-k is not about
those children, its about all children.
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WHY PRE-K ? Who To AskWho To Talk To

• City Council County Commissioners
• Chambers of Commerce
• Texas State Representatives
• Texas State Senators
• US Senators
• US Representatives
• Other people of influence

Who Represents Me? http//www.capitol.state.tx.us/
fyi/fyi.htm
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Charge 1

• How do we make pre-kindergarten a priority of
  candidates running for office?

About 1/3 of middle class children do not know
the alphabet when they enter school.
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Charge 2

• How can we help candidates and the general public
  understand the link between pre-kindergarten and
  economic development?

Factoid from Pre-k Now More than 40 of
first-time kindergarteners cannot count beyond
10.
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Charge 3

• How can we make sure that our communitys leaders
  power-brokers are working in support of
  pre-kindergarten?

Factoid from Pre-k Now Pre-k has become just
as necessary as kindergarten and first-grade.
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Special Thanks

• TO YOU!
• For your commitment to our childrens early
  education