Children are little human sponges, absorbing information subconsciously that shape future preferences. Research shows that the lack of exposure to racial diversity can negatively influence racial preference in children as young as infants. Conversely, by familiarizing our youngest learners with racial diversity through books (and other things), we provide opportunities for positive belief formation around race and identity.

All of the amazing titles below are available through the Debra S. Fish Early Childhood Resource Library, a branch of the .

Children’s titles

(Age Focus: 2 – 7 Years)

When Parker Curry came face-to-face with Amy Sherald鈥檚 transcendent portrait of First Lady Michelle Obama at the National Portrait Gallery, she didn鈥檛 just see the First Lady of the United States. She saw a听queen鈥攐ne with dynamic self-assurance, regality, beauty, and truth who captured this young girl鈥檚 imagination. When a nearby museum-goer snapped a photo of a mesmerized Parker, it became an internet sensation. Inspired by this visit, Parker, and her mother, Jessica Curry, tell the story of a young girl and her family, whose trip to a museum becomes an extraordinary moment, in a moving picture book. From the publisher

(Age Focus: 4 – 7 Years)

Shelf Awareness Book of the Year
Chicago Public Library Best Picture Book Pick

Imagination, ingenuity and passion combine on the pages of this inspiring tribute to children of color….The models’ expressions are natural and authentic, including spirited, open-mouth laughs, mischievous grins and thoughtful countenances. These raw portrayals not only exude beauty and confidence, they also invite the audience to linger on the pages and absorb all the fine details present: hair adornments, fabric prints, backgrounds. The focus is always sharp, reinforcing the clarity of each child’s individual charm.

Taken individually, the photographs and text are exceptional. Blended together, they create a book of outstanding aspiration and inspiration. Young children of color should revel in the beauty of the subjects that bear resemblance to them…听From Shelf Awareness review

(Age Focus: 4 – 8 Years)

Kirkus Starred Review
School Library Journal Starred Review
Publishers Weekly Starred Review

In this collaboration from National Youth Poet Laureate Gorman and Caldecott Medalist Robinson, a small child finds a way to make a big impact on the community.

The Black youngster notices something wrong but is told it is 鈥渘ot a problem,鈥� that it 鈥渃annot be fixed,鈥� and that it is 鈥渢oo big for you.鈥� But the child is determined to try. Writing in second person, Gorman immerses readers in the experience, assuring them that they are not alone in their longings for a better world. The powerfully spare lines of text convey the concerns that can occupy the mind of a thoughtful person in a society full of problems and complacency. Robinson鈥檚 signature simple, child-friendly collage art brings the text into concrete detail as the protagonist notices an oversized trash heap on the sidewalk and begins to work at cleaning it up. With help from diverse friends who are eager to make a difference, too, the child replaces the trash with a raised bed garden, which disappoints with withered seedlings before ultimately blooming into 鈥渟omething that work[s],鈥� something to be proud of. From Kirkus review

(Age Focus: 4 – 9 Years)

Booklist Starred Review

Jayden loves nature; however, there aren鈥檛 many places to explore near his apartment in the city, a fact of which his mother often reminds him. But that doesn鈥檛 stop the boy from observing the urban birds and squirrels and collecting acorns. One day, Jayden bonds with his wheelchair-using neighbor, Mr. Curtis, who loves nature as much as Jayden does, and they begin transforming part of the apartment building鈥檚 lawn into a garden. Mr. Curtis shows Jayden how to reuse materials, like empty coffee cans and milk cartons, as planters, and soon the entire neighborhood is abuzz with butterflies and hummingbirds visiting the garden. Daley鈥檚 soft pastel illustrations utilize vibrance and interesting perspectives to show the varied life that finds its way into cities, as well as a sweet intergenerational friendship…Kids will fall in love with the idea that they can build a garden wherever they reside, and they鈥檒l get assistance from the book鈥檚 back matter, which provides instructions for making recycled garden crafts, such as a birdfeeder. From Booklist review

(Age focus: 7 – 10 Years)

Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor
ALA Notable Children’s Book
CCBC Best Children’s Book of the Year
Jane Addams Children’s Book Award
Kirkus Best Children’s Books
NCTE Notable

In the 1930s, Lewis’s dad, Lewis Michaux Sr., had an itch he needed to scratch鈥昦 book itch. How to scratch it? He started a bookstore in Harlem and named it the National Memorial African Bookstore.

And as far as Lewis Michaux Jr. could tell, his father’s bookstore was one of a kind. People from all over came to visit the store, even famous people鈥昅uhammad Ali, Malcolm X, and Langston Hughes, to name a few. In his father’s bookstore people bought and read books, and they also learned from each other. People swapped and traded ideas and talked about how things could change. They came together here all because of his father’s book itch. Read the story of how Lewis Michaux Sr. and his bookstore fostered new ideas and helped people stand up for what they believed in.听From the publisher 听 听听

Adult titles & teacher resources

I Like Myself听uses the latest research into positive identity formation to provide practical solutions for educators. It links together lesson planning insights, academic activities, and children鈥檚 book recommendations that are designed to facilitate positive racial identity in Black children, covering topics including hair texture, skin tone, language, self-esteem, and media representation. Supplementing and complementing any curriculum, this critical resource provides information across social-emotional, academic, and fine arts domains that stay faithful to curricular goals while specifically targeting the racial identity needs of Black preschoolers. Targeting the Black identity specifically, the lessons are designed to be engaging, meaningful and effective for all students, so each child feels valued and accepted while also gaining the knowledge and skills that they need to be successful.

Featuring recommendations for over 150 children鈥檚 books to support positive identity formation in Black children and 70+ activities and ideas to pair with children鈥檚 book read-alouds.听From the publisher

For ages 8 – 14. Learn all about why and how we celebrate Black History Month. Who was Carter G. Woodson? How was his research and documentation of Black history beyond their enslavement in the United States important to Black people then and now? Why did history books, newspapers, newsreels and movies historically record and present only negative stereotypes of Blacks, if any representation at all? How did celebrating Black history inspire recent great Black achievers like Barack Obama, Thurgood Marshall, and Ketanji Brown-Jackson? The answers to all these questions and more are covered in depth with detailed graphics, diagrams and exciting video that reinforce important concepts. From the publisher

Stories of Resistance is a robust and meaningful collection, weaving threads of the personal, professional and political into a vibrant tapestry of becoming. Twelve leaders in early care and education come together to share authentically and proudly their vision, fortitude, passion and courage. Their stories invite you to join a circle, draw strength and inspiration, and take new action in your own work in the world.听From the publisher

Bright, Talented & Black 2.0 is the book that so many have been waiting for. The one that addresses the specific needs of high potential needs of students who are most at risk in schools across the nation. Parents, families, educators, and advocates will read and be able to use the resources provided in this book to save the dreams of countless Black gifted students and others who have been overlooked and marginalized while improving the outcomes for humanity as a whole.听From the publisher

Raising Confident Black Kids includes everything Black and multi-racial families need to know to raise empowered, confident children.听

It鈥檚 hard to balance protecting your child鈥檚 innocence with preparing them for the realities of Black life. When鈥攁nd how鈥攄o you approach racism with your children? How do you protect their physical and mental health while also preparing them for a country full of systemic racism?

Now, there鈥檚 a guide to help you teach your kids how to thrive鈥攅ven when it feels like the world is against them.听From racial profiling and police encounters to the whitewashed lessons of history taught in schools, raising Black kids is no easy feat. 滨苍听Raising Confident Black Kids, teacher M.J. Fievre passes on the tips and guidance that have helped her educate her Black students, including:

• How to encourage creativity and build self-confidence in your kids
  
• Ways to engage in activism and help build a safer community with and for your children鈥攁nd ways to rest when you need to
• How to explain systemic racism, intersectionality, and micro-aggressions
  From the publisher 听 听

滨苍听Teaching to Transgress, bell hooks–writer, teacher, and insurgent black intellectual–writes about a new kind of education,听education as the practice of freedom. Teaching students to “transgress” against racial, sexual, and class boundaries in order to achieve the gift of freedom is, for hooks, the teacher’s most important goal.

bell hooks speaks to the heart of education today: how can we rethink teaching practices in the age of multiculturalism? What do we do about teachers who do not want to teach, and students who do not want to learn? How should we deal with racism and sexism in the classroom?

Full of passion and politics,听Teaching to Transgress听combines a practical knowledge of the classroom with a deeply felt connection to the world of emotions and feelings. This is the rare book about teachers and students that dares to raise questions about eros and rage, grief and reconciliation, and the future of teaching itself.听From the publisher

By Jennie Walker Knoot

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Project Scope and Resources听

Make sure to check out the for the most up to date information. If you haven鈥檛 already signed up for emails about the work, be sure to do so! You鈥檒l be informed of updates and opportunities for feedback.

• 听

You can also find information on past work on the project and context on the other components: abbreviated inspections and tiered violation systems. Understanding the full scope and goals of the work will help you give relevant and constructive feedback.听听

Draft Regulations and Feedback Opportunities听

Draft regulations were recently released for both and child care centers. The project is now at a time when your feedback and advocacy can help shape its trajectory. Here’s an overview of the next phases of the project and how you can advocate and participate.听

Spring 2024: Draft licensing standards are released for review

• Read the draft licensing standards
• Make notes, talk to others, email the project team with questions or comments: ccregmodernization.dhs@state.mn.us

Summer 2024: Opportunities for public engagement and feedback

• Read the draft licensing standards.
  • 听
  • 听
• UPDATED 6-11-24: for Family Child Care or Child Care Centers

• : Complete . Sign up for email updates for or to be notified of opportunities. Or check the .

Early 2025: Revised standards will be release for consideration in the 2025 state legislative session

Read the revised draft. Follow proposed legislation and hearings. Testify/talk to legislators.This is a big project with a lot of details, considerations, and stakeholders. It鈥檚 not finalized yet, so now is the chance to make sure your voice is heard!听By Marie Huey, Public Policy and Advocacy Staff Leader

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January 15, 2024听听

Office of Child Care Community PartnershipsThis will be the first version of a report that will be delivered to the legislature annually. The Office of Child Care Community Partnerships at the Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) was established in legislation passed during the 2023 session. The brand new office will produce the report on activities in the previous year including:

• Analysis of current access to child care within the state听
• Analysis of the current shortage of child care within the state听
• Summary of the office鈥檚 activities听
• Proposed legislative and policy initiatives听

February 1, 2024听

Child Care Regulations Modernization ProjectsThe Department of Human Services (DHS) will submit a report and proposed legislation to the legislature to implement the new licensing models for family child care and child care centers developed by the .听Information Technology Systems ModernizationDHS and the Department of of Information Technology Services will submit a report to the legislature on the status of the plan, strategy, and funding of the project to modernize IT systems for programs that support children and families. The report will be delivered annually until the funds are spent.听March 1, 2024听Department of Children, Youth, and Families TransitionThe Commissioner of Management and Budget (MMB) must report to the legislature on the status of the Department of Children, Youth, and Families. This is a new department established by the state legislature in 2023. The report will detail the progress on transitioning to a new department and will include stakeholder feedback.听July 2024听Parent Aware evaluation report submitted to DHSChild Trends is conducting an required by legislation that passed in 2021. A detailed overview of all evaluation activities, findings, and implications for future improvements to Parent Aware will be included the report. They will submit the report to DHS and also make the information public.听December 2024听Parent Aware EvaluationDHS will submit recommendations to the legislature based on the report submitted by Child Trends in July 2024.听Parent Aware One Star for all licensed programs (December 31)DHS must submit a report to the legislature about the cost of implementing a one-star rating for all licensed programs in 2026. This must also take into account funding that may be needed for programs that seek higher ratings.听听

Why do reports matter?听

Many of these reports will provide recommendations to the legislature on how to take action to improve early care and education systems in our state. However, they will need advocates from the field to help refine and advance them. You can use the reports as a tool for a conversation with your legislator.听听Early Childhood Reports from 2023Check out these reports from last year that will continue to be relevant.听听

• 听
• 听

 Did we miss one? Please let us know! Email policy@thinksmall.org with information about other early care and education reports we should be tracking.听By Marie Huey, Public Policy and Advocacy Staff Leader

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Cross-Agency and Big Picture听

These newsletters cover a big swath of the work going on in early childhood in state government. 听听If you鈥檙e only going to sign up for one state newsletter, this is the one! This communication is a cross-agency effort to provide updates to child care providers and early educators in Minnesota. By signing up, you can expect to receive a quarterly newsletter highlighting resources, supports and updates on child care and early education from the Minnesota Children鈥檚 Cabinet and Departments of Education, Health, and Human Services. Content will be tailored to licensed and nonlicensed child care, Head Start, and prekindergarten programs. 听听The Department of Children, Youth, and Families is a new agency that will be created over the next couple years. Sign up to follow along with the process.听听Minnesota鈥檚 Children鈥檚 Cabinet is an interagency partnership that utilizes a whole family approach to support the healthy development of children and families. The work of the Cabinet also involves collaboration with counties, local communities and other stakeholders.听The Children鈥檚 Cabinet works to bring efficiency and effectiveness to state government efforts to improve child and youth outcomes. 听The Ombudsperson supports and advocates for licensed family child care needs in Minnesota. This office is separate and independent from the Department of Human Services.

Projects Underway听

These newsletters will keep you updated on initiatives currently in progress. 听Minnesota鈥檚 Preschool Development Birth through Five grant is a partnership of the Minnesota Departments of Education, Health and Human Services, along with the听Children鈥檚 Cabinet听to align education and care systems鈥痑cross the state.鈥�听听The Department of Human Services is gathering input and data as part of a project to implement recommendations to improve Parent Aware.听Child Care Regulation Modernization Projects听The regulation modernization projects support the development of three components: 听

• Key indicator systems for abbreviated inspections听
• Risk-based tiered violation systems听
• Revised licensing standards听

If you would like to receive updates on the Child Care Regulation Modernization projects, please subscribe to the listserv for听听or the listserv for听.听 听
As part of their work on , the Minnesota Department of Human Services is working on a Provider Hub. This initiative will help improve and integrate the information technology systems used for the licensing, certification, and Child Care Assistance Program registration of child care providers in Minnesota.听

Department Lists听

Use the subscriber preferences features for the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) and/or the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) to select additional projects or topics that interest you. 听Check out the Early Learning section for relevant topics and initiatives. Subscriber PreferencesThe licensing section includes projects mentioned above and some other issue areas.There are early childhood policies and projects in progress at other state agencies as well. If you find a project that interests you and want to learn more, be sure to look for an email signupBy Marie Huey, Public Policy and Advocacy Staff Leader

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Additional Changes Coming Later鈥� But at Least We Can Look Forward to Them!

Additional Support for Mental Health As of May 2025 families supported by MFIP (with children under 6) where a primary caregiver has a mental health diagnosis will qualify for CCAP up to 20 hours a week.More Efficient Provider Registration Do providers love having to repeat the CCAP registration process with multiple counties?听 Nope. Starting in April 2025 providers will handle registration and renewals directly with state staff rather than by individual county.Still Left to AccomplishA lot of the (incredible!) changes to CCAP this session focus on supporting currently served families and participating providers better, not significantly expanding the universe of families eligible for and accessing CCAP.听 Given insufficient appropriations, not all currently eligible families have access to the program and low-income eligibility standards leave behind many families that struggle to afford child care.听ForecastingThis is a perennial goal and one explained above in further detail.听 At this time only part of CCAP (MFIP) is accounted for in future state budgets with no waiting lists, while BSF CCAP remains a capped allocation requiring families to be placed on wait lists once available funding is used. 听Furthermore, each county has a set allocation so it can make a big difference which one a family lives in.听 Many counties have no wait list while others have a couple thousand families in limbo. Forecasting would create a program families can depend on regardless of where they live.听听Expanded Income Eligibility Many lower -middle or middle-class families earn just too much for current CCAP eligibility yet still struggle to afford quality care.听 For this reason, we continue to advocate for MN to expand income eligibility up to 85% of State Median Income (around $100K/year for a family of 4), the highest amount allowed under federal law.听 Ideally this change is accompanied by forecasting (see above) or if not additional measures are included to ensure the families and children currently furthest from quality child care opportunities are given priority.Want to learn about other changes to CCAP this legislative session?听 Check out the rest of the series.By Clare Sanford, Vice President of Government and Community Relations at New Horizon and the Government Relations Chair for the Minnesota Child Care Association & Deb Fitzpatrick, Policy and Research Director at the Children鈥檚 Defense Fund-Minnesota

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Contact

<蘑菇视频>Empowering early learning for every child: contact 蘑菇视频l today!

Whether you have questions, need assistance, or want to explore opportunities for collaboration, our contact page is your gateway to a wealth of resources and support.

Contact FormMultilingual Contact Information

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As Strategic Leader of Equity & Quality Supports at 蘑菇视频l, my goal is to support the ongoing growth and development of a diverse, equitable, and inclusive work environment for all 蘑菇视频l Leaders. In the past year, leaders had the opportunity to engage in a variety of activities that served to deepen our understanding of one another and strengthen our collective commitment to advancing equity in early childhood.听听听

The STIR Committee is our voluntary team of 蘑菇视频l leaders dedicated to continuing and improving upon our agency鈥檚 history of Supporting a culture of Trust, Inclusion, and Respect (STIR) for all staff, clients, customers, and partners. This past year, the STIR Committee held monthly virtual gatherings called 3Cs (Come, Cultivate Conversation) to give leaders the chance to join their fellow team members in a series of conversations about identity, race, and privilege. These gatherings allowed 蘑菇视频l leaders to recognize our shared humanity, find strength and healing amid everything happening in our communities, and to embrace and honor our differences. The STIR Committee will continue elevating the voices and stories of our 蘑菇视频l community by offering more virtual spaces for leaders to learn about one another and the communities we serve.听听听听听听听

Throughout this past year, Executive, Strategic, and Program Leaders continued to develop their own critical awareness around diversity, equity, and inclusion by participating in a monthly leadership learning community.听 The first half of the year was spent exploring senior leadership鈥檚 role in creating an equitable work environment. Using Awake to Woke to Work鈥檚 model of the race equity cycle, leaders broadened their understanding of the role they play in fostering equity within the organization.听听

In 2021, I joined the 2021-2022 cohort of the . The residency is an 18-month national program that supports organizations and their leaders to own and implement anti-bias, anti-racist organizational change. During the course of the residency, leaders guide their organizations in developing and implementing equity-focused strategies. 蘑菇视频l leaders at all levels were invited to provide feedback in the Spring of 2021 that has served as a springboard for the formation of strategic equity goals. In the Fall of 2021, Executive, Strategic, and Program Leaders participated in Embracing Equity鈥檚 Intentionally Racially Diverse Cohort where they explored their own racial and ethnic identities while expanding their understanding of developing anti-racist mindsets and practices. This group created action plans which we combined with the learnings from our staff survey to position our leaders to create meaningful change within 蘑菇视频l.听 听

As we look ahead, I am excited to continue our Leadership Learning Community and expand this work to include our organization Team Leaders. The STIR Committee will continue to provide intentional space for staff leaders to engage in meaningful conversations and activities.听 And as we wrap up the second half of the Embracing Equity Leadership Residency, we look forward to assessing the impact of our work in the past year, while working to accomplish the established goals. We recognize the commitment to creating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment is an ongoing process, which requires commitment at all levels of leadership.听听听听听

Resources:听

More About 蘑菇视频l:

蘑菇视频l: Celebrating 50 Years, Innovating for the Future

By Candace Yates, Strategic Leader of Equity & Quality Supports听

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It鈥檚 election season! While there aren鈥檛 any Presidential or Congressional candidates on the tickets this year, there is still plenty to pay attention to in your community. People on your ballot in November could have an impact on early care and education policies. It鈥檚 a great time to get ready to vote! 

First, the basics 

• Election day is November 2.  

• Many school districts and municipalities across the state will hold elections. Check if yours has a  or  election this year.  

• If you do have an election,  

• Find your  or plan to vote early  

•  to vote or update your registration 

For any other questions related to voting, consult the Minnesota Secretary of State鈥檚 website, mnvotes.org 

Local elected officials often make the decisions that most directly affect your life. In the pandemic we have especially seen the ways in which cities, counties, and school districts shape how our communities operate.  

When it comes to early care and education, these local entities have played a larger role than usual during the pandemic. When federal economic relief packages sent money to cities and counties, they made decisions as to how to spend those. This process is ongoing. That means that the people you elect this year will have a say in how to spend federal funds. Some communities are choosing to use at least some of the funds to support child care.   

Here鈥檚 a little bit about why school boards and city government matter when it comes to early care and education.  

School Board 

School boards oversee the district鈥檚 budget, superintendent and other staff. They make policy decisions about curriculum, facilities, and equipment. These decisions have certainly been highlighted and heightened during the pandemic. 

Districts may have a focus on early childhood education, which could include a relationship with non-district programs in their area. Out of school time care is another area of overlap. With Voluntary Pre-K (VPK) schools can form partnerships with community-based child care settings to deliver programming.  

City Council & Mayor 

City council structure and authority varies depending on the city. While the mayor represents the entire city, council members sometimes represent specific areas, or wards. (At-large means the member represents your entire area, rather than a smaller subset or district). 

Regulations like zoning, street traffic and maintenance (including snow removal), public transportation, garbage and recycling can all have an impact on the well-being of community members, including young children, families, and early educators. Some cities more directly involved in early care and education, e.g. San Antonio, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia. Closer to home, Saint Paul is , Saint Paul All Ready for Kindergarten (SPARK). 

Get Informed and Be A Voter 

Your local newspaper is often the best source of information about candidates. Look for opportunities to attend a candidate forum. You can also go directly to the candidates鈥� campaign websites to learn about their priorities.  

Remember this process can be a dialogue. If you have the opportunity to talk to a candidate, be sure to let them know what your priorities are. Incorporating feedback from constituents is an important part of being an elected official. 

Your vote truly matters. Just this year the  was decided by two votes.  

Don鈥檛 skip the elections this year! Take a moment to learn about what鈥檚 on your ballot and make a plan to vote.  

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For many years, Barb Fabre has recognized the need for advocating for and empowering parents in the family and child care sectors. Throughout her work both inside and outside her tribal community, Fabre has realized how little support and resources tend to exist specifically for parents. Now, as the CEO of Indigenous Visioning living in White Earth, Minnesota, Fabre is committed to amplifying parent voices and developing a foundational cultural base for indigenous parents. So, with the help of the Community Solutions Grant Program through the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), Indigenous Visioning is currently developing and implementing a Parent Leadership Training Institute (PLTI) program centered around indigenous parents. 

The Idea
Fabre is a veteran in the early childhood advocacy field, and the current program being developed at Indigenous Visioning draws deeply on her previous work around child care and parent leadership. Fabre served as the Early Childhood Program Director at White Earth and created a parent mentor program back in the early 2000鈥檚. Although the program had great success, the funding for it eventually ended, while Fabre continued her advocacy work for parents and children. She had also previously worked for Indian Child Welfare and was involved with the foster care system. She felt that virtually no one doing this type of work was advocating for parents at that time, and she prioritized connecting with parents who were at-risk or had their children removed from their homes. She worked to support them and walk through the reunification process with them. Fabre has also worked with Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP) and the jobs program, in which she again worked to advocate for and support parents.  

Eventually, Fabre was invited to an event hosted by the Children鈥檚 Defense Fund sponsored by the National Parent Leadership Institute and learned about a Parent Leadership Training Institute (PLTI) framework through from many moving individual testimonies. A number of at-risk parents shared how the system and the current infrastructure for family and child care had failed to give parents the right tools to become empowered and support their children to their full potential. From then on, Fabre became interested in continuing her journey with parent and child advocacy by developing a Parent Leadership program for her own community.  

The Program
The Indigenous Parent Leadership Training will be offered to parents and caregivers in two Minnesota Tribal communities鈥� the Red Lake Reservation and the White Earth Reservation. The program is grounded in the PLTI framework, which is a two-generational approach that helps parents to understand child development, nurture their inherent leadership/advocacy skills  and help provide civic engagement tools to understand how and where they can use their parent voice to advocate for their children and the communities children. Indigenous Visioning鈥檚 project will be a 20-week class of PLTI and Cultural Curriculum that will provide parents with knowledge about indigenous historical trauma, spirituality, lost culture and history, and brain and childhood development.  

The guiding principles of the training builds on many of Fabre鈥檚 past projects and echoes much of her prior work with parent empowerment, such as a focus on intervention and prevention, institutional knowledge to become lifelong agents of change, and helping parents regain hope. The training will work to enhance parents鈥� leadership and civic engagement skills and teach them how to best use their voices to advocate for themselves.  

The Cultural Curriculum is primarily developed by , a renowned author and professor of American Indian Studies. It incorporates feedback from tribal community members and will be led by trainers, community members, and elders. The training is heavily evidence-based and largely centers around the two-year PLTI research project on parent involvement and Dr. Treuer鈥檚 research and knowledge. At the end of the course, each parent will participate in a community project to utilize their learned parent leadership skills. 

According to Fabre, culture is a protective and healing process. Her hope for the program is that by uplifting parent leadership and involvement, the lifelong health, safety and learning of children will be uplifted as well, while preserving traditional values, practices, and lifestyles among the community.  

A Perfect Fit: Community Solutions Grant 
The Parent Leadership program at Indigenous Visioning is just one of many community-based and community-informed programs funded by the MDH  at the Minnesota legislature. According to Fabre, the idea for an indigenous parent-centered training program came long before the creation of the program itself, but it was difficult to find grants and funding that would allow for enough freedom to fully implement the initiative. That was, she says, until Community Solutions came along, which she felt was a 鈥減erfect fit鈥� for the program.  

The grant program itself is unique from other funds in that it follows the guiding principle that communities understand themselves best and are the most qualified to identify their needs. Thus, Community Solutions Grantees are given high levels of autonomy and flexibility in implementing their program according to their vision. While this type of community-centered, decentralized funding is effective in helping to empower communities and marginalized identities, it is unfortunately in the minority of the existing grant programs. Fabre鈥檚 story is not uncommon鈥� there are countless ideas for initiatives and programs that have the potential to make long-term, systemic changes within local communities, but very few actually end up being given the resources and the trust to implement them.   

In addition to funding, Fabre says that there is also a need for more collaborations and partnerships dedicated to sharing goals and resources. The ideas and innovation to improve our communities are already out there and communities are ready for change. Now, we must give them the tools to make their visions a reality.  

If you are interested in supporting and learning about Indigenous Visioning鈥檚 work, check out their website: .  

Find more information about other . Check out the work of . 

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While the state legislative session is heating up in Minnesota, there鈥檚 also plenty to discuss about what is going on with Congress in Washington, D.C. To catch us up on the chatter related to early childhood and school age care, staff from Minnesota鈥檚 senators鈥� offices joined Policy Hour. Rommel Lee is the Outreach Director at Senator Amy Klobuchar鈥檚 office. Jake Schwizter is the Managing Outreach Director for Senator Tina Smith. They provided updates on what听their bosses are working on.

The United States Congress needs to set a budget by *October 1 to keep the government running. Right now, they are figuring out what will be included in the budget and how much will be allocated to each item. Their current work is mostly in committees, discussing proposals on various topics. At this time of year, Senators are also working on appropriations requests. Members collect requests from constituents and colleagues to help shape the budget.听

Democrats hold the majority in the House of Representatives, whereas Republicans have the majority in the Senate. This split in party control has led to some bipartisan successes, but it also contributes to gridlock and polarization. 

Lee and Schwitzer shared that both senators hear loud and clear that finding child care is a challenge for Minnesota families. Child care deserts, or areas where there are drastic shortages of quality child care openings, are prevalent especially in rural areas. The same lack of access is also common in culturally diverse urban areas. 

Employers tell Senators Klobuchar and Smith that they cannot hire or retain employees due to a lack of child care. They want to be part of the solution but don鈥檛 think they can solve it on their own. Parents raise concerns about their inability to find a safe place for their child to go while they work.

The need for child care is nationwide, and many other states are trying to address the issue. Members of Congress have proposed legislation on the topic, including both Minnesota senators. 

Senator Klobuchar鈥檚 bill, the , would award competitive grants to states. The grants would support training and retention of the child care workforce and address the building or expansion of child care facilities. Klobuchar鈥檚 bill is co-sponsored by Senator Sullivan (R-Arkansas). In the House of Representatives, the bill鈥檚 authors are Representative Peterson (D-Minnesota) and Representative Herrera Beutler (R-Washington). 

Senator Smith introduced her bill last year but has not yet reintroduced it this year. The would support new and existing child care facilities through grants and low-cost or forgivable loans. It would provide support to child care providers in the areas of quality and compliance, in addition to business supports. It would also establish a community needs assessment to determine the best way to use the funds. Senator Smith is continuing to collect feedback on the bill and is looking to find bipartisan support.

The big vision bill that would address affordability and accessibility for many families is the . Introduced by Senator Murray (D-Washington) and co-sponsored by both Minnesota Senators, this bill would limit the amount that families have to pay for child care. It would improve care in a variety of settings, expand child care assistance and Head Start, and increase workforce training and compensation. 

A big challenge for all of these bills is their cost. Schwitzer noted that the Senate Republican majority usually want to see cuts elsewhere when increasing spending. It鈥檚 unclear exactly where they would find the dollars to fund these initiatives. 

It鈥檚 exciting to see that early childhood is an important topic for members of Congress! You can participate in this discussion in several ways. When asked if it is better to contact the senators鈥� staff in Minnesota or DC, both Lee and Schwitzer answered to start with the Minnesota team. Outreach staff in the state spend all of their time connecting with constituents, listening, and reporting what they hear back to the senators. The staff in DC have additional responsibilities and may not be as available. Minnesota staff will connect you with DC staff if it makes sense to do so. 

Lee noted that many bill proposals come from conversations that outreach staff have with residents. It鈥檚 important to share your story! Schwitzer encouraged advocates to join together to make their voices louder. Acting in groups makes a difference. 

If you鈥檇 like to connect with either of the offices, here is the contact information. 

Rommel Lee, Outreach Director for Senator Amy Klobuchar

Rommel_Lee@Klobuchar.senate.gov | 612-727-5220

Jake Schwitzer, Managing Outreach Director, Senator Tina Smith

jake_schwitzer@smith.senate.gov  | 651-221-1016

 *While the beginning of October is the deadline, Congress rarely completes the work by that time. They often extend the current budget using a series of Continuing Resolutions (CR). 

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Staff from the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) joined us for February鈥檚 Ann Kaner-Roth Policy Hour to provide updates on child care. 

Cindi Yang, Director of the Child Care Services Division, gave an overview of the Preschool Development Grant. Minnesota received $4.7 million for this one-year grant. It will allow the state to make a plan for coordinated programming for children ages birth to five. This will be a collaborative effort between the Departments of Health, Human Services, and Education. The Governor鈥檚 Children鈥檚 Cabinet is helping to coordinate the effort. 

The process is comprised of five main activities:

1. Conduct Needs Assessment
2. Develop Strategic Plan
3. Design Mixed Delivery System
4. Promote Best Practices
5. Improve Overall Quality of Programs

For more details about what is involved at each step, refer to this handout.  They plan to take an equity approach, with a focus on supporting children facing racial, economic, and geographic inequities. They will work with partners to bring a diverse group into the conversation. When conducting the needs assessment and strategic plan, they will build on past work such as the Race to the Top grant and the Early Childhood Systems Reform work group. 

All states that received the planning grant will be able to apply for an implementation grant next year. That process will take place sometime in August-October and is expected to be more competitive than the first round. 

Beth Fraser, Manager of Policy, Legislation & Stakeholder Engagement for Licensing Division, gave updates on their work. 

One recent focus has been certification. Certification is a new classification for centers. Many of them serve school-age children, and they have to be certified in order to accept Child Care Assistance (CCAP). Licensing is working with centers to complete the new background study and implement the process for annual inspections. 

The licensing division is also currently looking to update the list of items that are eligible for a fix-it ticket. A fix-it ticket can be issued for minor licensing violations that do not immediately put children at risk. The violations must be corrected within 48 hours. The DHS Commissioner has authority to make and revise the list of eligible fix-it ticket items. Fraser listed a number of items that DHS is currently considering, which you can view in the video of policy hour. If you have feedback about which items should be included, you can email them to dhs.ccc.licensing@state.mn.us.

Governor Walz will release his budget on February 19, and DHS has been discussing ideas for that process. Each commissioner shares their department鈥檚 recommendations with the Governor, who then assembles his proposal. Licensing has been discussing a variety of measures from climbing equipment requirements to use of reusable water bottles. Additionally, they have talked about proposing a license that falls somewhere between a family child care and a child care center. This could allow for flexibility, especially in Greater Minnesota, where population density isn鈥檛 always adequate for a center. Fraser noted that these ideas may or may not appear in the Governor鈥檚 budget, and many of them would require resources and long-term planning.

Laurie Possin, Child Care Assistance Program Manager, discussed what her division is currently working on and what is coming up. 

Like the licensing division, CCAP is also discussing legislative ideas for the upcoming session. The main priority is to come into compliance with federal regulations. In 2017, Minnesota passed many changes to align with the reauthorized Child Care Development Block Grant (CCDBG). However, a few pieces remain. While CCAP is now operating on a 12 month redetermination schedule, there are a few provisions that would ensure greater continuity for families and children. Expediting applications for children experiencing homelessness is one of those. They would also like to ensure that children moving between counties will receive continuous care, which does not always happen right now. The largest financial component will be updating provider reimbursement rates. Currently, rates are at the 25^thpercentile of the 2011 market rate survey. To be in federal compliance, rates would have to be based on the most recent survey, which is 2018. Minnesota has waivers for some of these items, but the state needs to be in compliance by October.

Another effort that is currently happening, is to review Rules 2 and 3 which govern child care licensing. There haven鈥檛 been any major revisions to the rules in about 20 years, so it is an appropriate time to look at them again. There is a formal process for rulemaking which includes public participation and feedback. Over 60 stakeholders have participated so far since the formal opening in the fall. In March and April, DHS will host events to talk specifically with families. They will release draft rules in the spring and collect more public feedback at that time. 

In addition to the 2018 market rate survey, which will be released soon, DHS is working on a cost of care analysis. This method, which has been used in other states, focuses on which factors drive the cost of care for both licensed family child care and child care centers. The study will support the market rate survey and help with policy decisions. For more detail on what CCAP is working on, view the handout that Laurie distributed.

Want to watch all of February’s Ann Kaner-Roth Policy Hour? You can view on Minnesota’s Future Facebook page.

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U.S. Senator Tina Smith introduced a new bill aimed at reducing the child care shortage in Minnesota and across the nation.

The Child Care Supply Improvement Act proposes supports for child care facilities, quality and business supports for child care providers, and support for states and tribes in improving administration and implementation.

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蘑菇视频l Public Policy and Advocacy Coordinator, Marie Huey, speaks to parents during a 听training session at Joyce Preschool in Minneapolis.

Several organizations that serve children and families recently worked together to provide trainings for Minneapolis parents. As part of a grant from Minnesota Comeback, Way to Grow is partnering with other organizations, including 蘑菇视频l, to engage parents in advocacy opportunities.

Another parent training session was held at Center for Families.

May Losloso, Children’s Defense Fund-Minnesota, leads a training session.

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Sara Benzkofer provided updates on Power to the Profession.

Debbie Hewitt presented on the B8 Work Group and the National Governors Association.

• Raise base pay
• Reward for quality (program level)
• Reward for education (individual level)
• Bring more resources into programs so they can pay better
• Provide other resources for individuals that aren鈥檛 base pay but increase their financial well-being.

To address these goals, the group looked at a variety of strategies that other states have used and determined which of those would be most useful and feasible for Minnesota. Their recommendations are:

• Tax credits
• Continue and increase T.E.A.C.H. and R.E.E.T.A.I.N.
• Increase access to business education and shared services
• Tie compensation to increased public funding
• Implement a wage ladder, where pay increases as education increases (More research is needed to figure out if this would be a feasible or useful strategy)
• Increase private sector support, potentially including tax credits
• Collaborate with other groups, including the B8 Workforce Team
• Continue to raise awareness about the critical importance of fair and adequate compensation

The group presented their recommendations to the Children鈥檚 Cabinet and Governor Dayton. Once the full report is finalized, they will share it with stakeholders.

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Staff from DHS presented at Policy Hour.

Staff from the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) presented at November Policy Hour about the changes to child care in Minnesota. During the 2017 legislative session, many changes passed to help Minnesota come into compliance with federal updates to the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG).

Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) ChangesNicole Frethem gave an overview of changes to CCAP. Families receiving CCAP will now have 12 months of continuous eligibility, providing more stability than the previous system of redetermining eligibility every 6 months. During those 12 months, copayments will not go up with changes in family income, although they can go down if necessary. Most families will have to report less information during this time about changes in work schedule or child care needs.蘑菇视频 will now have to receive payments within 21 days, which is faster than the previous requirement of 30 days. .LicensingMichelle McGregor gave an overview of changes to child care licensing. License-exempt programs that serve children receiving CCAP will now need to go through a . This includes many after school programs and requires them to meet additional health and safety standards, along with some other new requirements.Child Care Centers and Licensed Family Child Care will start receiving annual inspections as part of the new legislation. McGregor explained that DHS is currently hiring additional licensing staff. When a provider receives an inspection next year, the annual inspection will be based on that date going forward.A new emergency preparedness requirement means providers need to have a plan for how to address emergencies. DHS recently incorporated feedback from providers into their and .A key component of the federal plan is improved consumer education resources. DHS uses the Parent Aware website to house information about child care in the state. There will be some changes to how information is posted on the site.Fix-It Tickets were not part of the federal CCDBG changes but did pass the state legislature. 蘑菇视频 will receive fix-it tickets at an inspection for minor violations that do not affect the health and safety of children in their care. They will have 48 hours to fix the issue, which will not appear on a correction order if resolved. The department is working with the commissioner on the details.Exit Interviews are an additional item that passed apart from the federal requirements. These will be between providers and licensors at the end of a licensing visit, where both parties can review the information from the inspection in order to reduce miscommunication. Many licensors already do this in some format, but it is now more widely encouraged.View additional information for and .Background StudiesEnhanced background studies will be required for all child care providers. Kristin Johnson explained that the new studies will use fingerprints to search multiple state and national databases for individuals 18 and older.Children 13-17 who live in a Licensed Family Child Care home will have to receive fingerprint studies as well. Those studies will only go through the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension in most cases, not the FBI. The state is still working to improve the infrastructure for these background studies. They likely will not be implemented until Summer or Fall of 2018, and providers will be notified in advance.For more information about the background studies, visit the .Parent AwareNara Topp gave updates about Parent Aware. The first cohort using the is in the process of being rated now. Changes made during the 2017 legislative session allow all programs participating in Parent Aware to be eligible to receive Early Learning Scholarships until July 2020, when programs will have to have a 3 or 4 Star rating.Policy Hour was presented on Facebook Live. 听To view the recording, click .Click to see the DHS PowerPoint presentation听regarding the changes.If you have questions or feedback about these changes, email听DHS.CCDFReform@state.mn.us.By Marie Huey, Public Policy and Advocacy Coordinator

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Small Talks features leaders who will share key insights on early childhood education and discuss innovative solutions to early learning issues in Minnesota.

By Kristie ThorsonTalk to Me: How Early Conversations Impact a Child鈥檚 Life was the topic of the first 蘑菇视频l Small Talks event which took place August 15, 2017, at the University of Minnesota鈥檚 Robert J. Jones Urban Research and Outreach-Engagement Center in Minneapolis.听 The panel presentation and discussion focused on closing the word gap in Minnesota through simple practices, strategic partnerships, and innovative research.Scott McConnell, Educational Psychology professor at the University of Minnesota was one of the presenters.听 His research focuses primarily on preschool-aged children, and the skills and competencies that will enable them to learn and participate in school and other settings.听 His work includes implementation and evaluation of LENA Start, a program which听focuses on increasing interactive talk with children because it has been proven to be a key factor in early brain development.鈥淔amilies talk more, kids talk more.听 Families talk less, kids talk less,鈥� McConnell said.Click below to watch some video highlights from the first Small Talks event.

Dianne Haulcy, Senior Vice President for Family Engagement at 蘑菇视频l was the second of three panelists.听 She has directed five early childhood programs serving inner-city, low-income, ethnically diverse populations, and was previously the Chief Operating Officer of The Family Partnership.听 Haulcy currently serves on the Governor鈥檚 Early Learning Council, the Parent Aware Advisory Committee, and is the co-chair of the Northside Achievement Zone (NAZ) Early Childhood Action Team.鈥淏oth parents and providers have loved to get that real-time information about how they are doing,鈥� said Haulcy.听 鈥溎⒐绞悠祃 was actually the first in the country to use the word pedometer and the LENA Start program to work with parents and family child care providers together.鈥漈he LENA Start program features a digital recording device that slips into a special vest which听a child will then wear for the day.听 The device measures the number of words spoken as well as conversational turns between the child and a parent or child care provider.The final panelist was Gerri Fisher, Parent Engagement Coordinator. 听She spent 8 years in early childhood and family education with the public schools before joining 蘑菇视频l.鈥淭he device also measures TV and electronic time which I don鈥檛 like to spend a lot of time on,鈥� Fisher said.听 鈥淏ut it can be interesting to see how that kind of sound decreases language in the home.鈥�

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June Policy Hour at 蘑菇视频l

• Families find quality child care and early education
• Programs improve their practices
• Children benefit from care and education that will prepare them for school and life

The Parent Aware House was adapted from the National Center of Quality Teaching and Learning Framework for Effective Practices, and the Washington Early Achiever鈥檚 House.

• More rating pathways. In addition to the Full Rating Pathway and Accelerated Pathway to Ratings (APR), there is now an Automatic Rating. Head Start programs will be eligible for this rating and will not have to submit documentation to receive a Four Star rating. There is also an option now to make it easier for some programs opening multiple sites to receive the same rating more easily.
• Flexible coaching options. Programs can choose to receive 20-30 hours of coaching over 6 months or 40-60 hours over the course of a year, depending on what timeline and intensity best suits their needs.
• User-friendly documentation. DHS received a lot of feedback about documentation difficulties. In response, they have created more flexible options. They also have worked to clarify the reasoning and goals behind the indicators.
• Simplified training choices. Rather than requiring specific trainings, which could be difficult to navigate, requirements going forward will align with Knowledge and Competency Framework (KCF) domains.
• More robust financial supports. 蘑菇视频 will be able to receive $1,000 in quality improvement supports for Building Quality participation {up from $500), in order to make improvements to their program. To move to a higher star level, providers will receive $2,500 in quality improvement supports, up from $1,000.

Four Star-rated programs do not receive Quality Improvement Supports because those are intended to help programs improve and advance, and Four Stars is the highest level. Those program are eligible for other incentives, such as Early Learning Scholarships and higher reimbursement rates for the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP).Lenhart and Topp emphasized that Parent Aware is here to stay, and they encourage programs to participate at whatever level works for them.Legislative UpdateMinnesota鈥檚 Future members Clare Sanford and Ann McCully provided an update on highlights of the 2017 legislative session for early care and education. Most of their updates are covered in our .A few additional highlights:

• The education budget included a 2% increase for the school funding formula. It also included new teacher licensure language that the Governor would like to renegotiate (but has already signed into law).
• Presenters shared that the current interpretation of the School Readiness Plus language is that a licensed teacher must oversee the program but does not have to be present in each classroom.
• While many child care provisions passed related to federal requirements, it was disappointing that a reimbursement rate increase was not included.
• The Focus on Five Senate Working Group that met during session discussed promising practices and barriers for young children. Out of that work came funding for a pilot project in Dakota County for kids 0-8.
• There is $12 million for home visiting in the new budget.
• Minor changes regarding notifications of and access to child care for college students passed.
• The Father Project received funding.

For more details, check out the .For the first time, Policy Hour was recorded on Facebook Live. If you鈥檇 like to relive part or all of the fun, .

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Dan Solomon

Sen. Al Franken

• Corporation for National and Community Service –听This agency oversees AmeriCorps, which supports members to serve in a variety of organizations that help children and families.
• Corporation for Public Broadcasting –听Provides funding for radio and television which includes educational programming for children.
• National Endowment for the Arts and National Endowment for the Humanities –听These organizations provide a variety of programs including early literacy work.
• Museum and Library Services
• 21^st Century Learning Center –听This provides programming for after school and out of school time learning.

Washington D.C. Capitol

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Policy Hour presenters were MnAEYC-MnSACA’s Kathleen O鈥橠onnell and Sara Benzkofer.

A great turnout for April Policy Hour at 蘑菇视频l’s Minneapolis office on April 4th.

• 听听听听听听听听听听听 B-8 Task Force out of the National Academy of Sciences
• 听听听听听听听听听听听 National Governors鈥� Association Compensation Group
• 听听听听听听听听听听听

In Minnesota, the P3 Design Team is the hub where all the initiatives report to. The Design Team is a group of people in the Minnesota early education field who discuss how to support PreK to 3^rd听Grade alignment in the state. They have expanded from their original mission and are thinking more broadly about how to support children ages birth to 8. Because Design Team members participate in other work, it makes sense as a place to share information and ideas.Many people understand how important early childhood care and education is. found that people value the work of early childhood professionals. However, policies and funds to support early childhood educators have not yet caught up to public opinion. Part of the Power to the Profession Initiative will be trying to move the public opinion into public policy. They will look to other campaigns and professions for examples, including nursing.Policy Hour attendees noted that it can be inconvenient to fill out surveys to provide feedback because they already have a lot on their plates. Although the Power to the Profession Initiative covers听many topics, some people are most concerned about compensation. It can be difficult to think about professional standards when the wages are inadequate. Presenters heard this feedback and said they will pass it along. O鈥橠onnell has also been encouraging NAEYC to use methods beyond the internet to connect with stakeholders. Because other Minnesota groups are working on the issue, it鈥檚 possible that compensation will be addressed earlier. Todd Otis of 蘑菇视频l shared that the National Governors鈥� Association group plans to bring legislation in 2018.The Power to the Profession initiative is just taking shape. O鈥橠onnell and Benzkofer encouraged everyone to participate however they can to make it successful and reflective of as many stakeholders as possible. 听For more information, contact听Sara Benzkofer at听sarab@mnaeyc-mnsaca.org.View a PowerPoint from the April Policy Hour presentation

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Senator Melissa Wiklund, DFL-Bloomington, was one of the presenters at the February Policy Hour organized by Minnesota鈥檚 Future and hosted by 蘑菇视频l. Sen. Wiklund talked about a by the Legislative Task Force on Child Care Access and Affordability.

Senator Wiklund presents at February Policy Hour.

• Develop consistency and uniformity in regulatory enforcement; improve relationships and communication between the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS), county licensors, and child care providers; and improve fairness in compliance measures.
  • Develop and implement uniform training for county licensors, including rules, statutes, and providers鈥� rights.
  • Target changes in policy and procedures that help to create a healthy environment in which monitoring visits are supportive, not punitive.
  • Establish a safe communication process for providers to ask questions without fear of immediate negative actions.
  • Implement an immediate feedback system of potential compliance orders before the licensors leave the home or facility, and allow providers the opportunity to fix issues on the spot.
  • Communicate a clear appeals process to providers.
• Ensure training is accessible, relevant, and affordable; and broaden and deepen the trainer pool.
  • Determine ways to encourage providers from communities of color and American Indian communities to become trainers.
  • Determine ways to provide better access to training that reflects cultural competencies.
  • Align 鈥渁nnual鈥� and 鈥渓icense period鈥� training requirements.
  • Encourage community training opportunities through partnerships with schools, public health, Child Care Aware, initiative foundations, etc.
  • Support mentor programs that are provider-to-provider based.
• Additional recommendations for DHS.
  • Streamline and reduce redundancies in paperwork.
  • Coordinate nighttime and statewide meetings with providers, not just day-time metro meetings, before initiating any changes.
• Reform and invest in the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP).
  • Increase CCAP provider reimbursement rates.
  • Increase funding for the Basic Sliding Fee program so more eligible families can access assistance.
  • Change eligibility for CCAP from six months to twelve, providing for greater stability for children and providers.
• Determine ways to address costs for middle income families, whether through targeted funding, tax policy, or community/business investments in child care.
  • Consider investing in new or expanding existing child care tax credits for middle-income families.
  • Study and share community success stories to help others.
  • Consider incentives for businesses to invest in on-site child care.
• Long Term
  • Consider the creation of an independent board for child care providers.
  • Encourage more people to enter and stay in the child care provider workforce.
  • Consider ways to address emergency child care assistance for families fleeing abuse.

To read the entire report, .What鈥檚 Next?In the House of Representatives, the Subcommittee on Child Care Access and Affordability is addressing some of these items. The Human Services Reform Finance and Policy Committee, chaired by Senator Abeler R-Anoka, will be in charge of taking up the issue in the Senate. includes proposed changes and funding for CCAP as well as expanded child care tax credits.Senator Wiklund encouraged people to contact their own legislators to advocate for policies that are important to them. She also suggested contacting members on relevant committees.

PreK to 3 Design Team

• Voluntary Participation.
• Targeted Universalism. This term, developed by john powell, advocates giving resources first to the most in need to achieve success for everyone. The Design Team recommends starting with families at 185% of poverty.
• Local solutions and approaches. Use Local Collaborative Hubs to implement.
• Ensure high-quality programming that is culturally responsive and aligned to K-3 standards
• Families need, want, and deserve choice.
• The early childhood workforce needs support and diversity.

The original report recommended requiring a Bachelor of Arts degree within 10 years for providers statewide. However, the team has rescinded this recommendation in the new report for various reasons. More details in this presentation.The idea of the Local Collaborative Hubs comes out of work in Oregon and North Carolina that empowers communities to implement solutions that work best for them. They could be led by counties, districts, or cities, depending on what lawmakers and stakeholders decide is best.Audience members noted the issue of compensation for early learning professionals. Although research supports the importance of quality care and education for children 0-5, many people who provide that care are compensated poorly, at rates much lower than elementary school teachers. Compensation is one of the large barriers to establishing and maintaining a qualified workforce.Currently there are two national groups with a Minnesota presence that are focusing on the workforce issue. There is a group using the report to look at workforce solutions. Additionally, the National Governor鈥檚 Association has a group of state experts meeting about the topic.Next steps for the design team are:

• Continue to advise state agencies as requested
• Continue as a learning community
• Look closer at workforce challenges and solutions

Policy Hour is a monthly opportunity for early childhood and afterschool professionals to connect with each other and learn about current policy issues in an informal setting. It is听provided to the field at no cost by the Coalition.

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Children practice skills they will need for Kindergarten.

Mariyan gives children fun, age-appropriate opportunities to learn and grow.

• With toddlers, Mariyan uses manipulatives to support fine motor development. She also talks with them about the color and shape of the objects to facilitate language and cognitive development.
• They talk about taking turns. Mariyan celebrates when children share. They talk about emotions and practice saying what they need, which are important skills for school and life.
• Mariyan speaks in Somali and English to the children. Most of the children in her program speak Somali at home, but she does have some who speak primarily English. The bilingual environment is great for brain development and leads to cultural exchanges.
• When they are ready, Mariyan gives the children time to practice holding pencils and writing. Here, too, she incorporates two languages. Children practice in English and Arabic.
• Although she lives in a busy part of town, Mariyan takes the children outside when possible. Their walks around the neighborhood give them more learning opportunities to talk about trees, shapes, bugs, and other objects in the environment.

MariyanThe real key to Daryeel Group Home Daycare鈥檚 high quality is Mariyan herself. Parent Aware has helped her learn a tremendous about how to educate children, but she wants to learn more. She enjoys attending new trainings, especially when she can take what she learned and implement it right away. Her Parent Aware Quality Coach says that the Four Star Parent Aware rating isn鈥檛 enough for Mariyan; she wants to do more.Mariyan is also a leader. Other child care providers who know her, especially other Somali providers, seek her advice. Mariyan encourages and coaches them. Mariyan鈥檚 love of learning is a benefit to the children and her community.

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Policy Hour was well-attended at 蘑菇视频l’s Minneapolis location.

• Head Start teaching practices will align with the new Head Start Early Learning Framework: Birth to Five. Overall the new changes are comprehensive from birth to five, inclusive of Early Head Start throughout.
• Teacher mentor-coaching is required.
• The new HSPPS prohibit expulsion of children from Head Start and strictly limit suspensions. Dickhausen noted that many programs already have these rules, but the new federal regulations codify them.
• Services for dual language learners and vulnerable populations will be maintained and strengthened.
• Head Start will continue to include and empower parents in the program. They will continue to provide and streamline access to other resources such as health services.

One significant change for many programs will be the amount of time they are required to serve children. Some programs currently offer half-day programming but have been moving toward full day in anticipation of the changes. The new requirements will be implemented gradually. For a detailed breakdown of the timeline, .For more details about changes to the standards, . For additional information about the process and components of HSPPS, .Child Care Assistance ProgramWith the reauthorization of the federal Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) in 2014, the federal government passed new regulations for child care. Each state needs to comply with the new regulations. For Minnesota, that means many changes will need to be passed into law. The state Department of Human Services (DHS) is working to update the bill they introduced last session. It will incorporate stakeholder feedback and clarifications received in September.As part of this reauthorization, changes need to be made to the Child Care Assistance Program. Stacia Rosas from DHS shared that 30,000 children from about 15,000 families receive CCAP funds in Minnesota. Many of the new regulations are intended to make it easier for families to receive and retain CCAP which in turn provides greater stability for the children. Proposed changes will include:

• Determine eligibility every 12 months, instead of every 6 months.
• Eliminate copayment increases during 12 month redetermination period.
• Require families to certify that assets are less than $1 Million.
• Process applications from homeless families within 5 days and prior to receiving verifications. Waive activity requirements for 3 months.
• Eliminate schedule verification requirements for most families and allow families to choose a child care schedule that works best for them.
• Simplify and reduce reporting requirements.
• Make payments to providers within 21 days
• Update maximum rates after each market rate survey.

Child Care Licensing RequirementsIn addition to CCAP changes, the reauthorization also affects licensing requirements for providers. DHS is already working to comply with changes that do not require changes to the law. New requirements will impact the four different types of providers: Licensed Child Care Centers, Licensed Family Child Care, Legal Non-Licensed caregivers, and License-Exempt programs. The law requires all groups to meet health and safety standards.Some of the main changes that need to be implemented are:

• Annual inspections for all provider types. Currently inspections for licensed providers occur every two years and no inspections are required for license exempt centers and legally non-licensed providers.
• Expanded background study requirements. While DHS already has some tools in place to provide this service, they are working to figure out how to make it more streamlined.
• Enhanced health and safety standards and training requirements. Many of these are already addressed in current licensing requirements, and those that are not will need to be added.
• Licensing monitoring and inspection reports must be made available by electronic means, in a consumer-friendly and easily accessible format. Most of this information is already available on DHS Licensing Information Lookup for child care centers, but not for family child care.

The state has already developed an emergency preparedness plan and created a template for providers to create their own plans as required by the new regulations. The Parent Aware website has already been updated with some consumer education information and will continue to be used for that purpose. Most health and safety requirements have to be in place by September 30, 2017. The deadline for consumer education components is November 2017. For additional information on what DHS is working on related to CCDBG reauthorization, read their handout on the topic.

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• RegulationsNew regulations around safe sleep were implemented in 2013. (.) Jerry Kerber, Inspector General, noted that Infant deaths in licensed child care have decreased since then. He also clarified two rules that have caused issues recently:

-If an infant falls asleep before being placed in a crib, the license holder must move the infant to a crib as soon as practicable, and must keep the infant within sight of the license holder until the infant is placed in a crib.-When an infant falls asleep while being held, the license holder must consider the supervision needs of other children in care when determining how long to hold the infant before placing the infant in a crib to sleep. (emphasis added)

• EnforcementOn the ground, providers have had different experiences with enforcement of these rules. They report licensors instructing them to turn around right away if a baby falls asleep in the stroller on the way to the park. Beyond the fear of citation, providers noted that the new safe sleep regulations make it very difficult to care for infants. If parents do not practice safe sleep at home (no blankets or toys in the crib, baby placed on back), it can be very challenging for the infant to transition to these standards in child care. 蘑菇视频 stated that they want all children in their care to be safe, but practical implementation of the safe sleep rules can be very difficult.

• ImplicationsDakota County licensors hear feedback from many Licensed Family Child Care programs that they do not want to care for infants because they can be such a liability. Meanwhile, the need for infant care in the community is very high.

Inconsistencies in EnforcementDifferent counties and different licensors often enforce rules differently. One example was with biting. Biting is a natural developmental stage that many children pass through, and approved trainings cover how to deal with children who bite. However, one provider reported an incident where a colleague was cited for lack of supervision after a child in her program bit someone. Chad Dunkley, CEO of New Horizon Academy and President of Minnesota Child Care Association, reported that his centers had been cited for biting as well. Representative Franson offered that her own son was a biter, and it was difficult to deal with.Jolene Swan, Dakota County Social Worker and Licensor, noted that the regulations are often written broadly because the need to apply to different settings. However, this can also cause inconsistency. What one county might determine is 鈥渋naccessible鈥� may not be considered inaccessible to another county, for instance. Dakota County meets often to discuss and review cases in order to achieve consistency, but it is not an easy task.听Task ForceThe Legislative Task Force on Access to Affordable Child Care was established to address concerns related to child care in Minnesota. Assigned duties include assessing the child care shortage in greater Minnesota, considering uniform training requirements for licensors, and reviewing progress on streamlining paperwork. For a full explanation of the purpose and scope of the TFCC, . See all the documents from past meetings . View the full list of members . The TFCC must submit a report to the legislature and Governor by December 31, 2016.

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“Overseeing the class at Mona Moede, the center鈥檚 director, Elizabeth Fields, says families have been receptive because it鈥檚 framed as a resource rather than an assault on anyone鈥檚 parenting style.”

After just a few weeks in the program, parents had already started adding bedtime stories and songs into their child’s daily routine. They felt their children were responding positively, and it was truly making a difference.The technology that is used for this program was created by the LENA Start program, part of an early language project conducted by the LENA Research Foundation.LENA is based on the East Coast but this project marks its first move to Minnesota. The technology is currently being housed at the University of Minnesota, and a range of early childhood educators are collaborating with the project.蘑菇视频l is excited about this step toward improving childhood literacy and closing the word gap. We hope more and more families and early childhood educators use this new technology to change a child’s life.

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