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Beyond the Usual Suspects: Developing New Allies to Invest in School Readiness Charles Bruner Resource Brief / May 2004

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Page 1: Beyond the Usual Suspects: Developing New Allies …...BEYOND THE USUAL SUSPECTS:DEVELOPING NEW ALLIES TO INVEST IN SCHOOL READINESS 3 In early childhood, as in any field, public views

Beyond the Usual Suspects:Developing New Allies to Invest in School Readiness

Charles Bruner

Resource Brief / May 2004

Page 2: Beyond the Usual Suspects: Developing New Allies …...BEYOND THE USUAL SUSPECTS:DEVELOPING NEW ALLIES TO INVEST IN SCHOOL READINESS 3 In early childhood, as in any field, public views
Page 3: Beyond the Usual Suspects: Developing New Allies …...BEYOND THE USUAL SUSPECTS:DEVELOPING NEW ALLIES TO INVEST IN SCHOOL READINESS 3 In early childhood, as in any field, public views

I N T R O D U C T I O N 2

C H A P T E R O N E 3

Why Move Beyond the Usual Suspects?

C H A P T E R T W O 4

Understanding and Reaching Unusual Suspects

Corporate Leaders 4

Early Elementary Educators 5

Health Care Professionals 6

Law Enforcement Officials 7

Mid-Level Staff of State Agencies 7

School Superintendents 8

Semi-Retired and Newly Retired People 9

Small Business Owners 10

State Legislators 11

TANF Participants and the Working Poor 12

C H A P T E R T H R E E 14

Organizations that Can Help Recruit Champions

Corporate Leaders 14

Health Care Professionals 15

Law Enforcement Officials 15

School Superintendents 16

A P P E N D I X 17

Crafting School Readiness Messages for the Public

© 2004 by SECPTAN

Editorial and design services: Lariat Solutions, Inc.

Contents

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There is much concern and interest, among a broadrange of constituencies, in early childhood. Yet inmost states, early childhood remains “an agendawaiting to happen.”

Furthermore, while the general public has been polledextensively on its views of early childhood, andparticularly child care and early education, otherconstituencies have not. Consequently, advocates havelittle information on which to base their efforts toenlist many constituencies in supporting an earlychildhood agenda.

This monograph provides information on howadvocates might work to build a broader set of alliesto promote an early childhood agenda to improveschool readiness.

The first chapter describes the importance of movingbeyond the usual suspects when enlisting bothindividual champions and groups of allies in investingin school readiness. It stresses the importance ofrecognizing the cultures, or cognitive frames, of groupsof allies and crafting outreach messages accordingly.

Chapter two discusses some of the “unusual suspects”who are potential allies in investing in schoolreadiness. This chapter describes each group in termsof its political culture, the messages most likely toappeal to it, and the assets it can contribute.

The third chapter describes several nationalorganizations that are recruiting or have recruitedchampions for early childhood from among thesegroups of allies. In addition to having a nationalpresence, these organizations are well suited tocreating state investments in school readiness. Manyhave members who can serve as champions in theirstates or have the capacity to develop such champions.

The recommendations set forth in this monograph canbe difficult for child advocates to begin implementingon their own. The State Early Childhood PolicyTechnical Assistance Network can help. SECPTANroutinely assists organizations and individuals inlocating the data they require to craft effectiveadvocacy messages that will reach corporate leaders,state policy makers, law enforcement officials, andother allies described in this monograph.

Introduction

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In early childhood, as in any field, public views andopinions play an important role in policy making.Policies seldom can endure when there is broad-basedpublic opposition; therefore, developing messages thatmatch the public’s cognitive frames is necessary inpromoting school readiness (see appendix and p. 23).

At the same time, the United States is a pluralisticsociety, where interest-group politics play a major role inpolicy making. Achieving public policies that promoteschool readiness requires more than good publicmessaging, particularly in light of competing demandsfor other program funding and tax relief. Creating suchpolicies requires the organization and mobilization of active constituencies that can and do press forinvestment in school readiness. This organization andmobilization must be sufficiently powerful that schoolreadiness allies do not accept symbolic responses, butinstead demand substantive action. Policy makers(politicians) are very adroit at demonstrating theirsupport for a popular message, even when their actionsdo little to address the issue. Ongoing work is requiredin order to hold policy makers accountable foraddressing the substance of the message.

Traditional advocates for early childhood investmentshave been child advocacy organizations and the childcare and early education community. But some of the greatest state-level successes in securing newinvestments have resulted from alliances that gobeyond the “usual suspects.” In some states, corporateleaders have championed new state investments inearly learning; in others, law enforcement officialshave pressed for prevention programs targeted at theearly learning years. Faith leaders and seniors have

been effective advocates for young children. They havebrought both new messages and new constituencies to the cause. In order to replicate these successes,child advocates need to understand the cognitiveframes and cultures of their potential allies. Only suchan understanding will enable them to reach potentialchampions and, perhaps more importantly, craft thematerials and messages that make it possible for thosechampions to enlist their associates, organizations,and agencies.

Child advocates need to understand

the cognitive frames and cultures of their

potential allies.

A corporate leader, for instance, may become achampion of mental health services for young childrenbecause his daughter is raising an autistic child. Hemay be a forceful and tireless advocate in presentingthe case to policy makers and the public, and hisposition may enable him to open doors that otherwisewould be closed. However, if he wishes to convince hisstate’s association of business and industry to support anew child mental health system, he must have supportin developing advocacy messages that are consistentwith that association’s culture and cognitive frames.

Chapter two helps early childhood advocatesunderstand the cultures or cognitive frames ofpotential allies, the messages that may be mosteffective in appealing to them, and the advantages ofinvolving specific types of allies in investing in earlychildhood and school readiness.

Chapter One: Why Move Beyond the Usual Suspects?

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This chapter describes a number of groups of potentialallies who might be enlisted to promote investment inschool readiness. In each case, there is a briefdescription of the group’s culture or cognitive frame,the messages that are most likely to appeal to thegroup, and the advantages of having members of thegroup as allies in school readiness investments.Identifying and activating champions in each of thesegroups can provide a school readiness initiative withexceptional new allies.

Individuals are likely to have different and uniquereasons for becoming involved and may not fit intoany stereotype. But these descriptions can helpadvocates understand the worlds in which potentialallies operate, their spheres of influence, and themessages that they will need to employ with theircolleagues.

Corporate Leaders

CULTURE / COGNITIVE FRAME

Corporate leaders tend to be busy, no-nonsense,bottom-line types who expect their directions to befollowed. Many have little use for group processes andwould rather devise and implement solutions quickly.

Each state is likely to have a business roundtable orother group that is comprised of the heads of topcorporations and sometimes educational institutions.Employers participate in these groups so that they canencourage the application of business thinking ingovernment decision making. Many members havebeen active on education reform issues. They take thelong view of economic development and see the needfor a more highly educated workforce. Some have astrong desire to expand beyond personal corporate

success to positively impact society as a whole. Thesecorporate leaders comprise a kind of club, in whichsome members take on leadership roles and head upaction on issues while others provide support to them.

Enlisting corporate leaders as allies in school readinessdoes not require the commitment of all of these leaders.Usually, one or more members of the roundtable areknown to be interested in early childhood or schoolreadiness and will take up the banner if it is clear that thework will be tangible and they will share credit for it.

MESSAGE STRATEGY

Investing in school readiness makes

good economic sense, with high rates

of return to society in a skilled future

workforce.

Corporate leaders respond to bottom-line argumentsand are attracted to rate-of-return analyses anddemonstration of return on investment. They think interms of developing something that works and thenscaling it up. They are not afraid of large numbers,provided there is the potential for large returns.

Economic analysis can be particularly influential.Business leaders develop business plans, not fundingproposals, and it is helpful to be able to speak theirlanguage. The messenger, as well as the message, isimportant. For example, when making the case forinvestment in preschool, return-on-investment datapublished by the Federal Reserve Board chair is moreeffective than the same data reported by a childadvocate. Verification of numbers by an accountingfirm can provide an additional level of credibility withcorporate audiences.

Chapter Two: Understanding and Reaching Unusual Suspects

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The messages that have most effectively influencedcorporate leaders have stated—and demonstrated—that early childhood and school readiness programsincrease the productivity of the future workforce andreduce social problems and their consequences forbusiness and government.

ADVANTAGES

When corporate leaders speak, legislators and otherbusiness leaders listen. Powerful CEOs often haveunique access to governors and legislators because oftheir influence on the state’s economy. Corporate leaderscan be forceful advocates in decision-making circles.

Occasionally, corporate leaders also can bring a moredisciplined, focused, and bottom-line approach toagenda development and advocacy. On occasion, theyalso may lend staff (designers, editors, marketingexperts, etc.) to communications efforts.

Early Elementary Educators

CULTURE / COGNITIVE FRAME

Early elementary educators view education as the key to children’s future economic opportunity andlifelong enrichment. They see their role as primary tosociety’s long-term well-being. Poverty, family stress,and lack of family support challenge and negativelyimpact their ability to do their job, and they wouldlike to see other systems do a better job of addressingthese issues.

Educators are professionals and believe thatcredentials are important to teaching young children.They feel they perform their work for the good ofsociety rather than for monetary gain, but they oftenregard themselves as underpaid.

Early elementary educators, in particular, recognizethat some children start school behind their peers andthat this is due at least in part to their parents’educational background. They also recognize theimportance of social and emotional development.Some educators have a background in early childhooddevelopment, although most of them—like practicingearly childhood educators—are not professionallytrained in this area.

MESSAGE STRATEGY

Ensuring children start school ready to

learn makes teaching more effective, for

each individual child and for the whole

classroom.

Educators want students to start school eager to learnand ready to succeed. They buy into pre-kindergarten orother preschool programs as a means of better preparingchildren for school. They also support parentingeducation programs, provided they see how theseprograms improve children’s success in the classroom.In most states, teachers have unions or bargaining unitsthat have fought hard for improved compensation andfor limitations on extra demands placed upon them.They are likely to oppose efforts that could substituteparaprofessionals for credentialed staff or expandwork hours.

The school readiness messages that are most effectivein reaching early elementary educators stresseducational values. They clearly state that earlychildhood services will not compete with theeducation system for resources, nor are they intendedto replace elementary educators’ skills and talents.

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ADVANTAGES

Polls and focus groups have shown that kindergartenand early elementary teachers are extremely crediblespokespersons on early childhood issues. The publicbelieves they are experts on child development andearly education and supports what they have to say.Moreover, early elementary educators can be strongleaders in designing and implementing goodtransitions between preschool or other earlychildhood programs and the first years of school.

Health Care Professionals

CULTURE / COGNITIVE FRAME

Of all medical professionals, nurses, pediatricians,family practitioners, and doctors who see low-incomepatients in clinics receive the lowest pay and have themost contact with families. They work hard and areoften on call, but many manage to be involved incivic activities. They are accustomed to treating theday-to-day health issues of children and are disturbedwhen circumstances such as poverty, a chaotic homeenvironment, and substance abuse place children at risk. They know the value of the treatments theyprescribe corresponds to the ability of parents tocarry them out. Nurses, including nurse practitionersand public health nurses, often are aware of familyneeds and circumstances that can impact child health.

MESSAGE STRATEGY

Good health requires more than medical

care; a medical home plays a critical

role in meeting young children’s health

and developmental needs.

Brain and child development research, as well asmedical journals, appeal to pediatricians and nurses.Many are fascinated by unusual cases. Their initialfocus may be on medical problems, but they usuallyrecognize the need to address the conditions thatproduce such problems. The demands on their timeand the structure of their jobs may not enable them todo more to address children’s developmental healthissues than they currently do. But they recognize thevalue of an ecological approach to health care, and mostappreciate the opportunity to have a say in strategiesthat would expand health care professionals’ roles.

ADVANTAGES

Health care professionals are highly valued andrespected in their communities for their service,knowledge, and expertise. Their opinions and approvalare sought on issues beyond the medical realm. Nurses,in particular, have credibility with the public, whichgenerally views them as being committed to helpingpeople. They can be very effective spokespersons inaddressing both policy makers and the public.Nurses, pediatricians, family practitioners, and doctorsare not regarded as self-interested when advocating forpublic supports for children, because most peopleassume that they are not in need of public helpthemselves. They are also generally regarded aspolitically conservative, so their involvement canlessen the likelihood of right-wing opposition.

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Law Enforcement Officials

CULTURE / COGNITIVE FRAME

Law enforcement officials—judges, prosecutors, andchiefs of police—deal with tough issues and toughpeople. Their approach to crime is to fight it, and manyfeel that non-punitive approaches amount to “coddlingcriminals.” They believe that sanctions are necessaryand that they should be imposed earlier rather thanlater, in order to produce law-abiding behavior.

Law enforcement officials believe strongly in personalresponsibility; they do not glorify personal freedom.They feel that their purpose is to protect society, andthey do not gloss over or minimize social problemsand concerns. Many believe the seeds of criminalbehavior are sown early in life, when abuse, neglect,or delinquency takes place and is not addressed.

MESSAGE STRATEGY

Investing in prevention services at an early

age is the best crime control strategy.

According to Fight Crime Invest in Kids (see p. 9 and appendix), when law enforcement officials areinformed of the impact of early care and educationprograms on preventing crime and are asked tosupport these programs, they do so. Most lawenforcement personnel who have worked in the fieldfor a long time have seen vulnerable young childrenbecome adult criminals. They would like to seesociety act earlier, and they have a sense of what ittakes to break the cycle of delinquency and crime.Many also wish to show the public that although they

represent law and order and must be tough on crime,they also are human and caring.

ADVANTAGES

Law enforcement personnel are a largely untappedresource in early childhood advocacy. But some, whenthey are involved, become such strong believers thatthey are willing to press the message to legislators andthe public continually. Constituencies that perceivelaw enforcement officials as trustworthy, authoritative,and helpful—such as small business owners—mayrespond to appeals from these officials more so thanfrom other advocates.

Mid-Level Staff of State Agencies

CULTURE / COGNITIVE FRAME

Mid-level staff working in state health, human service,and education agencies administer and oversee avariety of programs that serve young children. Theybelieve in the importance of early childhood and thework they are doing to support it.

Mid-level staff of all state agencies generally believe inthe value of their work and consider themselves realpublic servants, although they often are calledbureaucrats. They manage a multitude of details and are charged with interpreting federal regulationsand state laws and regulations. These staff generallycannot take risks, but pride themselves in theirknowledge of the subject matter with which theywork. They spend much of their time managingprograms rather than planning for change, but theycan be charged by their political appointees to draftoptions for changes in regulations or legislation or

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even to create new programs. Some spend almost allof their time attending meetings in order to coordinateand collaborate across different systems.

They are often called upon to respond to a politicalappointee’s or legislator’s request immediately,dropping projects they are already working on. Theytake pride in the knowledge they possess, althoughsome have limited understanding of the effects of their work in the political arena. They often feel thatpolitical appointees, and legislators in particular, aresimplistic thinkers who create problematic policiesthat are not connected with the real world.

MESSAGE STRATEGY

Building a school readiness system

means developing standards and fostering

cross-agency collaboration.

In addition to making suggestions to government staff,it is important to recognize their expertise and seektheir advice. It is also important to recognize that theyare likely to balk at changes that place additionaldemands or work requirements on them, even if thereis a benefit to others. Working with them to ensurethat the tasks required to enact an early childhoodinvestment are manageable, from their point of view, isessential to gaining their support.

ADVANTAGES

Mid-level state agency staff generally have substantialinfluence upon their superiors in their capacity as gatekeepers. They can facilitate change or block or subvert it.

While they, like all government workers, are subject tothe Hatch Act and generally cannot act as directadvocates, they are asked to and can assess thefeasibility of proposals, and their support in this areais important. They can be strong allies in the insidegame of obtaining overall agency or departmental buy-in. With regard to any policy, much of the detailedwork of drafting regulations and procedures will bedelegated to them, once broad policies are established.

These staff have expertise on issues that few, if any,others are likely to possess. They sometimes are referredto as the “B-Team,” because they will “be” thereregardless of any change in political or agency leadership.

School Superintendents

CULTURE / COGNITIVE FRAME

School superintendents are selected by local schoolboards and ultimately must keep those boards satisfiedwhile fiscally managing the school budget. While theymay be able to exert leadership in setting educationaldirections, they often have limited capacity to directindividual schools and individual principals.

Superintendents are under increasing stress due to the new accountability provisions of the federal NoChild Left Behind Act. Turnover among schoolsuperintendents in larger school districts is rapid, in partbecause moving to a larger and more complex schooldistrict connotes a promotion. Many superintendentsseek to achieve professional recognition by leading thepassage of school bond issues and building new facilities.

While superintendents are generally responsible forkindergarten through 12th grade, an increasing

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number are addressing pre-kindergarten issues, manybecause they see that too many children are startingschool at a substantial disadvantage due to the lack ofpreparation.

Most educators recognize that the new accountabilitystandards hold them responsible for outcomes thatcan only be produced by altering socio-economic andcommunity conditions, which are beyond theircontrol. School superintendents would like to closethe achievement gap. They would also like to havegood community relationships and more communityinvolvement in the schools, on their own terms. Theymay feel that engaging parents—in particular, parentsof children who struggle academically—in theirchildren’s education or in school improvements isdifficult or problematic.

MESSAGE STRATEGY

The achievement gap exists before

children come to school; closing it early

is needed to meet the No Child Left

Behind Act regulations.

Like most professionals, school superintendents listento one another and are more likely to take on newchallenges when they see other superintendents doingso successfully. School superintendents can viewschool-community partnerships positively, providedthey are presented in ways that do not challenge thesuperintendent’s role or place more demands onalready overburdened staff.

In order for a school readiness investment to garnersuperintendents’ support, the following must be madeclear:

• The initiative will help to close the achievement gap,directly addressing the new accountability standardsthat schools face.

• It will assist the superintendent in achieving his orher goal of improved performance for all students.

ADVANTAGES

School superintendents have been known to advocatefor expanding early childhood programs and servicesin the community, as opposed to simply addingfunding to the school system. This group of allies actsfrom conviction rather than solely from self-interest.They are respected for their expertise on studentachievement issues, one of the major concerns of statepolicy makers.

Semi-Retired and Newly Retired People

CULTURE / COGNITIVE FRAME

The number of semi-retired and newly retiredAmericans is increasing. Most of these people are overage 55, in good health, economically secure, throughwith child rearing, and ready to enjoy more free time.They may travel, particularly to visit grown childrenand grandchildren. Many have time to socialize andvolunteer. They come from all political perspectives.Often, they tend to have a longer-term view of the world.

While retirees may be very concerned about socialsecurity and Medicare, they also are concerned aboutchildren. Many have grandchildren and want to makesure that there is a bright future for them. Many areconcerned about the difficulties that their grownchildren face in finding child care and finding time tospend with their young ones. They may believe it is

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tougher growing up today than when they wereraising families. Some also take on the stress ofmodern parenting themselves; six percent of allchildren are being raised by grandparents.

MESSAGE STRATEGY

Our grandchildren deserve the best.

Society, as well as parents, must

respond, to ensure that all children have

the care and support they need.

Messages that value and support parentalresponsibility while offering public and communitysupport resonate with many newly or semi-retiredindividuals. Messages that do not blame, but provide arole for the public and the community in supportingyoung children, are effective with this group.

ADVANTAGES

Because they have time, resources, and connections,individuals in this group can be powerful advocates. Asconstituents, they can speak out of a broad concern forsociety, rather than self-interest, when communicatingwith legislators. Grandparents who speak out forexpanded early care and education are recognized asacting from altruism, and this carries additional weightin bolstering public support.

To say that Americans are engaged in anintergenerational battle for resources is anoversimplification. The fact that many seniors—in particular, those who live on moderate fixedincomes—do not vote for initiatives that would raisetheir property taxes does not mean that they do not

support children. In fact, they place children’s issueshigher on the political agenda (and economicdevelopment issues lower) than those aged 35 to 55.

Small Business Owners

CULTURE / COGNITIVE FRAME

Small business owners and the chambers of commerceof which they are members believe in promotingbusiness and think government should do the same.They often see government regulation as a burden andthink of social welfare programs as supporting peoplewho are not willing to work. They do not necessarilyidentify with corporate leaders, believing corporateleaders to have resources that local business ownersdo not.

Chambers of commerce provide certain benefits totheir members, and membership is open to anybusiness. Few child care centers and child-servingagencies are members, perhaps due to the fact that feware willing or able to pay the required dues.

MESSAGE STRATEGY

Quality, dependable child care reduces

absenteeism, increases worker

productivity, and contributes to the local

economy.

On the whole, small businesses pay lower wages andprovide fewer and more limited benefits—such aschild care—than larger businesses. Many smallbusiness owners recognize that their workers struggle

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to find affordable early childhood services. While they know that this affects their workers’ performance,they do not feel they should be forced to subsidizethese services. Many accommodate their employees on a personal, case-by-case basis but do not want such accommodations to be expected or required.

The most common way for small businesses to makeearly childhood investments is to fund early childhoodservices for their employees. A good first step inreaching them is for a local provider of earlychildhood services to join the chamber of commerce.Messages to chamber members should emphasize theincrease in workers’ dependability and quality of workthat results when employees have quality services fortheir children and families. They may also see thevalue of providing such services as a way of attractingnew business. According to economic impact studies,the contribution of the early care and educationindustry to their community may have some appeal tothem. They are more likely to support one-time capitalconstruction (such as building a center) than toprovide ongoing funding.

As is the case with corporate leaders, one need notenlist all small business owners in order to have asuccessful early childhood policy initiative; one or twocan be helpful in demonstrating that school readinessinitiatives are not just social services or social welfare,but are part of the economic infrastructure that makeswork possible.

ADVANTAGES

Because small business owners are often focused onminimizing their own financial obligations, a moreeffective strategy than trying to involve this group inschool readiness investments is to build enough supportamong other allies to neutralize their likely opposition.

State Legislators

CULTURE / COGNITIVE FRAME

Although legislators are disproportionately whitemale attorneys, small business owners, and retirees,in most states, they hold diverse viewpoints andbackgrounds. In fact, legislative chambers are muchmore diverse than most work settings, and legislatorscan work together on one issue after fightingvigorously over a previous one. Legislative leadersgenerally are selected by their peers because they canmanage multiple agendas and help members achieveat least part of what they want, some of the time. Inlegislating, educational background and substantiveexpertise play moderate roles and are given lessweight than in most professions.

Legislators quickly learn to become guarded aboutmaking concrete promises or accepting claims madeby advocates at face value. They must respond torequests for help or support on hundreds of pieces oflegislation, many with which they are only vaguelyfamiliar. They appreciate it when lobbyists recognizethe demands placed on them and understand thatsometimes they must cast votes with which thelobbyists disagree. They want to make a goodimpression on their constituents, and many are waryof being put on the spot, although they are willing togo to places in which they are welcomed.

Twenty percent of legislators are likely to do 80 percentof the work. Some prioritize and excel at negotiatingcompromises, while others are inventors and championsof new ideas. Depending on the issue, both types may beneeded to produce policy. Many legislators rarely getlegislation passed. Some are well-meaning but lackinfluence. Others draw as much criticism as supportwhen they take on issues. Advocates working on almost

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any issue can find legislators who support theirviewpoint. Legislators map their own areas of influence,in part by joining legislative committees.

MESSAGE STRATEGY

Early learning programs are effective

and efficient investments; they are sound

uses of tax dollars.

Legislators, of course, want to satisfy constituents. Bypassing or voting for legislation and enacting a budget,they seek either to solve problems and do good or togive the appearance that they have done so—asevidenced by the often-misleading titles of bills.

The more knowledgeable and persistent constituentsare in making their wishes known, the greater thedegree to which legislators will be accountable tothem. In most states, even a handful of persistent and knowledgeable constituents who regularly contacta legislator about an issue can wield substantialinfluence. This works best when the relationship isestablished on positive terms and legislators arerecognized for their positive actions.

Legislators can do a great deal within the chambers to promote legislation but welcome outside help inrefining arguments and messages and in reachingundecided or wavering colleagues. This requiresteamwork that is respectful of the important role ofthe legislative champion. Selecting the right legislativechampion can be as important as selecting amarketable issue on which to advocate.

ADVANTAGES

The main advantage of having legislators aschampions for school readiness is clear: Legislationcannot be passed unless a legislator is willing tointroduce it and others are willing to vote for it. But legislators can and do play roles that advocatesoften are not aware of: They perform sensitivenegotiations, engage in shrewd advocacy, and payattention to the details of the legislation to ensurethat the policy is not subverted or rendered trivial in the policy-making process.

TANF Participants and the Working Poor

CULTURE / COGNITIVE FRAME

While the number of families receiving welfarebenefits (now called Temporary Assistance to NeedyFamilies, or TANF) has declined substantially, TANFstill is an essential way for many poor, primarilysingle-parent, households to receive some financialassistance as they find work. A large proportion ofTANF recipients have very young children and needchild care in order to be at work. In fact, states nowspend a large portion of the funds previously set asidefor cash assistance to poor families on child caresubsidies for TANF recipients.

While TANF participants have entered the labor force,the improvement to their economic situation isnegligible, if existent. Their jobs pay low wages, they no longer get benefits, and they have expensesassociated with working. Contrary to stereotypesabout them, most TANF recipients take their roles asprimary caregivers and bread-winners very seriously.

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TANF recipients and the working poor work hard.They want their children to succeed educationally andmake considerable sacrifices on their children’s behalf.

MESSAGE STRATEGY

As parents and bread-winners, we need

our children to have quality care and

education while we must be at work.

TANF recipients and working parents face manydemands upon their time; they work hard and arepaid little. The early care and education system, or lack of a system, deeply impacts them. More sothan receiving messages about those systems, theyrespond positively to the opportunity to create suchmessages—by speaking out and sharing their storiesin ways that have impact. Focus groups or other waysof gathering TANF recipients together can be a vehiclefor both identifying those who would like to beleaders on these issues and for sharing experiences.

ADVANTAGES

Former and current TANF recipients make up asignificant share of this country’s working poorpopulation and can become very effective leaders and spokespersons for reform. They have practicalexperience that shows how policies actually impactpeople. They provide a reality check that policymakers need. The voices and presence of current andformer TANF recipients also helps breaks down thestereotypes that many policy makers hold. Many current and former TANF recipients are willingto share their stories and experiences if they knowthat doing so will help improve the system. Manyhave become experts about both the welfare systemand the early care and education system. Because oftheir passion about issues that affect their lives, somecan become strong advocates for change.

All parents of young children, as consumers of earlychildhood services, should be at the forefront of policydevelopment and articulation. TANF recipients andothers with the most stake in system change deservespecial attention, and recruiting them as partners andallies should be a priority.

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14 S T A T E E A R L Y C H I L D H O O D P O L I C Y T E C H N I C A L A S S I S T A N C E N E T W O R K

National organizations that are building support forearly childhood agendas are sources of potential alliesin securing school readiness investments. Thosedescribed below focus on developing both national andstate policy. Many have their own networks ofpotential champions in a variety of states. With regardto any of the fields described below, peer recruitmentefforts can build support for school readinessinvestments where such support does not exist.

Corporate Leaders

Corporate Voices for Working Families is anonpartisan, nonprofit membership organization ofsome of the most prominent corporate leaders in thecountry. Thirty-six partner companies employing morethan 3 million workers belong to Corporate Voices forWorking Families, which works to develop family-supportive policies in those companies’ workforces.

The organization has an advisory committee of leadingexperts in the field of early learning that has helpeddevelop its policy framework.

Recently, Corporate Voices for Working Familiespartnered with the Committee for EconomicDevelopment to issue a policy statement regardingearly childhood education. The organization hasidentified a set of corporate leaders who are willing tomeet with business leaders on a statewide basis topresent the case for investing in early childhood.

CONTACT:

Corporate Voices for Working Families1899 L Street NWSuite 250Washington, DC 20036202-429-0217www.cvworkingfamilies.org

The Committee for Economic Development is anindependent, nonpartisan organization of businessand education leaders dedicated to researching policyon major economic and social issues and to theimplementation of its recommendations in the public and the private sector. It is a trustee-directedorganization, and its trustees establish theorganization’s research and policy agenda. Trusteesinclude chairs, presidents, and senior executives of major American corporations and universitypresidents.

The Committee for Economic Development has beena leader in promoting early childhood educationprograms and services, particularly for disadvantagedchildren. Its 1987 book Children in Need: InvestmentStrategies for the Educationally Disadvantaged,which made the case for expanding early childhoodprogramming, influenced many states in theirdevelopment of preschool agendas. Trustees haveserved as national spokespersons on behalf of earlychildhood education, and some have traveledextensively to meet with peers in other states onearly childhood issues.

CONTACT:

Charles E. M. Kolb, PresidentCommittee for Economic Development 2000 L Street NWSuite 700Washington, DC 20036202-296-5860www.ced.org

Chapter Three: Organizations that Can Help Recruit Champions

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Health Care Professionals

Docs for Tots was founded in 2003 by George Askew,MD. It facilitates a nationwide network of doctorswho can help organizations in child advocacy andother fields support policies and practices thatimprove the well-being of infants and toddlers. Docsfor Tots is developing policy-making tools for earlychildhood advocates to use with pediatricians andother health practitioners.

In addition, Docs for Tots:• Provides doctors with the information they need

to comfortably and confidently engage in advocacy• Offers easy access to quality support and guidance

in advocacy• Connects child advocates and doctors with each

other• Recognizes and highlights the work of doctors who

are advocates• Makes the work of becoming an advocate as simple

as possible for doctors

In each state, Docs for Tots is developing a network ofdoctors who are interested in becoming advocates andseek to work with other advocacy organizations.

CONTACT:

George L. Askew, MD, FAAPDocs for Tots1522 K Street NWSuite 600Washington, DC 20005-1202202-898-9043www.docsfortots.org

Law Enforcement Officials

Fight Crime Invest in Kids, established in 1996, is abipartisan, nonprofit organization led by national andstate advisory committees that include more than1,000 police chiefs, sheriffs, prosecutors, and victimsof violence.

Fight Crime Invest in Kids investigates the research on what works to keep kids from becoming criminalsand puts that information in the hands of policymakers and the public. It puts a major emphasis on early care and education programs, promotingpreschool, parenting education, and after-school andother education programs. It has conducted nationaland statewide surveys of law enforcement officials ontopics of prevention and early intervention.

The Fight Crime Invest in Kids Web site describesmany of the organization’s publications and includes alist of participating law enforcement officials in eachstate. Many have been spokespeople for preventiveapproaches to addressing crime and can be enlisted asadvocates in early childhood work.

Individuals can join the organization’s listserv byvisiting: www.fightcrime.org/email.html

CONTACT:

Sanford A. Newman, PresidentFight Crime Invest in Kids2000 P Street NWSuite 240Washington, DC 20036202-776-0027www.fightcrime.org

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16 S T A T E E A R L Y C H I L D H O O D P O L I C Y T E C H N I C A L A S S I S T A N C E N E T W O R K

School Superintendents

The Council of Chief State School Officers is anationwide nonprofit organization comprised of heads of state departments of education and publicinstruction. The council’s mission is to achieve thevision of an American education system that enablesall families to succeed in school, work, and life. It hastaken a lead role in developing model standards andassessment practices for schools and has expandedthis work to apply it to the preschool years.

The organization’s early childhood task force, begunwith support from the Pew Charitable Trusts, hasidentified a group of chief state school officers whocan speak out on behalf of universal preschool. On a peer-to-peer basis, these officers can be enlisted in states other than their own to help draw attentionto the importance of early childhood education.

CONTACT:

Jana MartellaCouncil of Chief State School OfficersOne Massachusetts Avenue NW Suite 700Washington, DC 20001-1431202-336-7000www.ccsso.org

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Over the last decade, significant research has beenconducted to gauge public opinion regarding early careand education. Extensive polling has helped identifythe frames through which the public views earlychildhood issues and policies. It is important torecognize and understand these frames whenfashioning public messages to support investments inearly childhood.

Frame 1: The earliest years do matter.

• Description: The public is aware that the braindevelops rapidly in the earliest years and that it isimportant to stimulate growth and development byreading, singing, and talking to infants. The publicgenerally views this development as intellectual, asopposed to social or emotional.

• Implications for message strategy: The public doesnot have a corresponding frame for government’srole in this area. Messages can use this frame, butneed to link it to specific programs, policies, orstrategies.

Frame 2: It is best if parents (mom) can stayhome with infants and toddlers, but the reality isthat many cannot afford to do so.

• Description: The public is very ambivalent aboutleaving infants and toddlers in child care, andbelieves too many parents put their careers ahead of caring for their children. At the same time, thepublic recognizes that many families have to work in order to economically support their children, and that there is a need for safe and supportive care.

• Implications for message strategy: Advocatesshould avoid appearing to want to push more infantsand toddlers into care. Messages advocatingexpanded care options should include family leaveand recognize the value of staying at home.

Frame 3: Babies need nurturing, but they do notneed educational settings for care.

• Description: The public generally believes thatbabies need to be loved, nurtured, and kept safe, but that other considerations with respect to the typeof care they receive are not important. The publicdoes not see the need for specialized training of care providers. Grandmothers, not child care centers, are viewed as the best providers of care other than parents.

• Implications for message strategy: Advocatesshould stress the ways in which a child needs to benurtured and supported in exploring the world—being read to, held, sung to, watched, and playedwith—in order to make the case for using careproviders who are trained in these skills.

Frame 4: Child care is baby-sitting and needs to be safe, but does not require special skills.

• Description: The public sees “child care” as a wayfor parents to have their children cared for whilethey are working or away, not as an opportunity fordevelopment and education. The public expressesmodest support for subsidizing child care to enablepeople to be off welfare but is ambivalent about“Cadillac” subsidized programs because manyworking families could not afford such care.

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Appendix: Crafting School Readiness Messages for the Public

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• Implications for message strategy: When advocatingenhancements to the child care system that wouldimprove quality, use the term “early care andeducation” rather than “child care.”

Frame 5: Preschool for 3- and 4-year-olds leadsto school readiness; Head Start works.

• Description: The public believes that preschoolhelps children acquire the pre-literacy andmathematical skills associated with school readiness.The public values socialization, but does not connectit with educational success or the role ofgovernment. The public believes that Head Startworks.

• Implications for message strategy: Many advocates,including foundations, are building on this publicsupport by advocating expansion of preschool toserve all children. To many, universal preschoolseems the most likely strategy for overall increases inquality in the early care and education system.

Frame 6: Government has a responsibility toensure children are safe and have health care.However, except in extreme cases, governmentshould not intrude on parents’ raising of theirchildren.

• Description: The public strongly supports healthinsurance coverage for poor children and believesstate systems should protect children from harm(but does not have a uniform definition of childabuse). The public also believes that parents have aright to raise their children as they see fit and isleery of government intruding on family life.

• Implications for message strategy: Parentingeducation and family-strengthening programsgenerally must be framed as voluntary rather thanmandatory.

Frame 7: Many current social problems startedwith insufficient nurturing and support during theearliest years.

• Description: The public believes in parents’ right toraise their children, but also believes that manyparents are overindulgent, are inattentive, or putselfish interests ahead of family obligations. Thepublic believes this results in problems such asjuvenile delinquency, risky youth behaviors, andadult crime.

• Implications for message strategy: It is important toshow that change is possible, particularly bypromoting prevention programs that enhancefamilies’ capacity to nurture their children.

Frame 8: There are programs that work, andthese can prevent future social problems andcosts. In general, however, government systemsdo not work very well.

• Description: The public supports replicating cost-effective programs that are perceived as havingimpact. However, in general, the public does notbelieve that government is efficient or can managelarge systems well.

• Implications for message strategy: Emphasize theresults that will be achieved, rather than the systemsthat will be developed to achieve them.

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THE FRAMEWORKS INSTITUTE

There has been a great deal of recent work to examinepublic opinion on early childhood issues and to fash-ion appropriate messages to support investments inearly childhood and school readiness. TheFrameWorks Institute has been a leader in definingthe public’s cognitive frames on a variety of socialissues and then suggesting messages that correspondto those frames. Cognitive frames are the ways inwhich people examine and filter information, andwhile they can be changed, such change typicallyrequires an epiphany. In general, people digest infor-mation according to their cognitive frames and rejectmessages that conflict with those frames. Therefore, itis essential to understand the cognitive frames of theaudiences one is seeking to influence—and to fashionmessages consistent with those frames.

For more information on the FrameWorks Institute,cognitive frames, and early childhood frames inparticular, visit www.frameworksinstitute.org or contact:

Susan Bales, PresidentFrameWorks Institute1776 I Street NW, 9th FloorWashington, DC [email protected]

THE COMMUNICATIONS CONSORTIUM

Through the Communications Consortium, eightstate-based child advocacy organizations are workingas an Early Care and Education Collaborative. The Collaborative designs and implements strategicpublic education strategies to create the public will to increase and improve early care and educationresources. This collaborative is developing a variety of tools, as well as lessons learned through suchadvocacy efforts. For more information on the Early Care and Education Collaborative, visitwww.earlycare.org or contact:

Phil Sparks, Early Care and Education CollaborativeCommunications Consortium Media Center1200 New York Ave NW, Suite 300Washington, DC [email protected]

Early Childhood Frameworks and Messages: Key Resources

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• Health Care and School Readiness:

The Health Community’s Role in Supporting

Child Development—New Approaches and

Model Legislation

• On the Path to School Readiness:

Key Questions to Consider Before Establishing

Universal Pre-Kindergarten

These publications are available online at www.finebynine.org or by contacting the Child andFamily Policy Center.

About the Child and Family Policy CenterThe Child and Family Policy Center (CFPC) was established in 1989 by former Iowa legislator CharlesBruner, PhD, to better link research and policy onissues vital to children and families, and to advocatefor outcome-based policies to improve child well-being. CFPC is active both statewide and nationally. In Iowa, the Child and Family Policy Center assists thestate and communities in developing integrated, com-munity-based, family-focused, and results-accountableservices, particularly for vulnerable children. CFPCalso produces a variety of reports, case studies, conceptpapers, and technical assistance tools on systemsreform and community building that are widely usedacross the United States.

About SECPTAN The State Early Childhood Policy Technical AssistanceNetwork (SECPTAN) provides current informationabout early childhood policy initiatives to state policymakers. It assists them in assessing the best availableevidence and information about effective policies andpractices in early childhood. The network is managedby the Child and Family Policy Center with fundingfrom The Ford Foundation, the Ewing MarionKauffman Foundation, and the David and LucilePackard Foundation. For more information aboutSECPTAN, visit www.finebynine.org or contact CharlesBruner, Network Director, or Sheri Floyd, NetworkManager, at 515-280-9027.

About this Series

This monograph is part of SECPTAN’s series on earlychildhood issues, which also includes:

• A Compendium of Multi-State Early Childhood

Initiatives

• Measuring Children’s School Readiness: Options

for Developing State Baselines and Benchmarks

• School Readiness Policy and Budgeting: Template

for Collecting State Baseline Information

• Child Welfare and School Readiness—Making

the Link for Vulnerable Children

• Financing School Readiness Strategies: An

Annotated Bibliography

• Seven Things Legislators (and Other Policy

Makers) Need to Know about School Readiness

www.cfpciowa.org

218 6th Ave., Suite 1021Des Moines, IA 50309-4013

Phone: 515-280-9027 Fax: 515-244-8997