As a result of the Nov. 2 elections, more than half the states will have new governors come January. One of the many things they’ll need to master in a hurry is their states’ early-childhood efforts.
In late October, the National Governors Association released “Building Ready States: A Governor’s Guide to Supporting A Comprehensive, High-Quality Early Childhood System.” The report recommends six steps governors can take to establish strong early-childhood systems:
• Create an early childhood advisory council to coordinate governance.
• Build an integrated professional development system, like the one in Arkansas.
• Implement a quality rating and improvement system like Kentucky’s and New Mexico’s.
• Develop a longitudinal early-childhood data system, like Pennsylvania’s.
• Align early-learning and K-3 academic standards (and assess kindergarten readiness), as Washington State has done.
• Integrate federal, state, and private funding for early childhood, like Minnesota