蜜桃影视

Top Takeaways is a series of recaps from important conversations, town halls, webinars and virtual events about early learning.

On March 16, the National League of Cities (NLC) hosted a virtual fireside chat titled State and Local Government Prenatal-to-Three Collaboration in Action. The conversation focused on political leaders in Wisconsin, but the lessons were applicable beyond America鈥檚 Dairyland.

Noting that the pandemic has hastened collaboration and yielded 鈥渁 moment to think creatively and deepen partnerships,鈥� NLC鈥檚 Tonja Rucker moderated the panel featuring:

• Tom Barrett, Mayor of Milwaukee
• , County Executive of Milwaukee County
• Bethany Rasmussen, Chief of Staff to State Rep. Joan Ballweg

Before the speakers were introduced, a video played, featuring three legislators from around the country who are also parents of young children: council member Zeke Cohen of Baltimore, council member Teresa Mosqueda of Seattle and alderman Cavalier Johnson of Milwaukee鈥攁 father of twins鈥攖o highlight how they are bringing their lived experience to policy.

Here are our takeaways from the conversation:

1. Health comes first. Mayor Barrett declared his 鈥渕oral and ethical responsibility to care for the youngest among us,鈥� citing home visits and prenatal and postnatal care as ways of ensuring that 鈥渁ll babies can blow out the candles on their first birthday cake.鈥�

He acknowledged that continued racial disparities鈥攚hich have widened during the pandemic鈥攈ave made it harder to attain this goal. Dedicated resources, including full-time doulas, have been deployed to address the issue. County Executive Crowley mentioned the support made possible by the .

2. The American Rescue Plan ushers in new possibilities. 鈥淲hen we work in partnership, we can move mountains,鈥� said county executive Crowley, who admitted he was breathing a sigh of relief after passage of the funding package. Although specifics around how the funds would be allocated were not yet available, he foresaw 鈥渢argeted investments in historically marginalized communities鈥� as well as long-term initiatives.

3. Staffing demonstrates commitment. It鈥檚 a lot more likely that campaign promises will come true if somebody on staff is in charge of seeing to it. Two years ago, Mayor Barrett established an Office of Early Childhood Initiatives dedicated to ensuring every Milwaukee family has access to high-quality child care; improving early literacy scores; increasing state reimbursement rates for day care centers; and leveraging resources to ensure a high-quality learning experience from day care to school.

4. Public-private partnerships are worth it鈥攂ut they take work. Mayor Barrett emphasized the importance of 鈥渒nowing the lay of the land in your community. What efforts are others making? Where are the overlaps?鈥� Coordinating with the faith-based community on early childhood issues, for example, has helped the City to reach more families more effectively. Councilman Crowley emphasized that government doesn鈥檛 operate in a vacuum and that businesses have a role to play in building healthier communities.

5. Science-driven policy makes sense. 鈥�Good data is important for telling a story,鈥� said Rasmussen. Experts like economist James Heckman and Seth Pollak of the at the University of Wisconsin have addressed gatherings of policymakers, making the case for targeted investment. She cited a home visiting program in Racine County as the type of success that, on the basis of the data, might be scaled.

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Resources for Collaboration in Action

The Wisconsin Legislative Children鈥檚 Caucus aims to cultivate a legislature dedicated to advancing evidence-informed public policy that improves the life of every Wisconsin child.

The Wisconsin Infant Toddler Policy Project, operated by the Wisconsin Early Childhood Association, works with early childhood educators and other multi-sector partners to form a united voice on the importance of infant and toddler care in Wisconsin.

, powered by the BUILD Initiative, advances policies and programs that ensure every parent has the support they need to give their children a strong start in life.

is a public awareness campaign for county leaders who are committed to making investments in young children from prenatal to age three.

advances the effectiveness, independence and integrity of legislatures, fosters interstate cooperation and facilitates the exchange of information among legislatures.

, a project of the National League of Cities, brings together local leaders to develop strategies via technical assistance projects, peer learning networks, leadership academies and Mayors鈥� Institutes.

This story originally published on Early Learning Nation and is now archived on 蜜桃影视. Learn more here.