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 Information and presentations from the Governors' Forum on Quality Preschool. The Forum presented an unprecedented occasion for governors to discuss the opportunities and challenges they face in promoting high quality learning experiences for young children.
Hosted by Governor Jeb Bush
The Swan Hotel On December 15 and 16, the NGA Center for Best Practices held the Governors' Forum on Quality Preschool, which Governor Jeb Bush of Florida hosted in Orlando. The Forum presented an unprecedented occasion for governors to discuss the opportunities and challenges they face in promoting high quality learning experiences for young children. Attending governors included Governor Jeb Bush (Florida), Governor Jim Doyle (Wisconsin), Governor Jennifer Granholm (Michigan), Governor Dirk Kempthorne (Idaho), and Governor Judy Martz (Montana). Over twenty state teams of high level policy decision makers participated in this 2-day event to discuss issues in-depth and share best practices. Team members included First Ladies, Lieutenant Governors, governors' education policy advisors, state superintendents of education, state health and human services commissioners, state legislators, foundation and business leaders, and other influential decision makers. SESSION SUMMARIES and SPEAKER PRESENTATIONS  The Case for Quality Preschool: It Can Be Done
David Lawrence, Jr., President, Early Childhood Initiative Foundation, and Former Publisher, Miami Herald and Detroit Free Press outlined the case for quality preschool and discussed why gubernatorial leadership is essential to engaging key stakeholders and the public on this critical issue.
Plenary Remarks Governors' Roundtable Discussion on Quality Preschool
Attending governors discussed the motivations, strategies, challenges and opportunities that exist for promoting quality preschool in their states. Experts from the education, research, business and policy communities were invited to join the discussion. Ray Suarez, Senior Correspondent, The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, moderated. Guest experts were invited to participate in the discussion, including David Lawrence; W. Steven Barnett, Director, National Institute for Early Education Research; Sandy Garrett, Superintendent of Public Instruction, State of Oklahoma; and Dorothy Strickland, Professor of Reading and Samuel DeWitt Proctor Professor of Education, Rutgers University.  Media Q&A Panel
Governors and a panel of reporters participated in a moderated Q&A session on quality preschool. The panel included June Kronholz, Education Reporter, The Wall Street Journal; Lynn Olson, Senior Editor, Education Week; and Robert Tanner, National Writer, Associated Press.
The Role of State Leaders in Promoting Quality Preschool
The leadership of governors, along with that of legislators, business leaders, commissioners of education and human services, and others, is essential to promoting high quality preschool programs. This session featured two state approaches -- Florida and Michigan -- to creating quality preschool policies. - Sue Urahn, Director, Knowledge Resources and Education Program, The Pew Charitable Trusts (moderator) -- Presentation
- Toni Jennings, Lieutenant Governor of Florida
- Tom D. Watkins, Jr., Superintendent of Education, State of Michigan -- Presentation
The Economic Development Case for Preschool
Arthur J. Rolnick, Senior Vice President and Director of Research, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis outlined the evidence that quality preschool can be an effective economic development strategy. Presentation State Strategies for Financing Quality Preschool
Financing and sustaining quality preschool programs can be a significant challenge for states. This session identified different strategies states can pursue to finance preschool initiatives. - Anne Mitchell, Early Childhood Policy Research (moderator)
- Elizabeth Burmaster, Superintendent of Public Instruction, State of Wisconsin -- Presentation
- Jerry Stermer, President, Voices for Illinois Children -- Presentation
Preschool in an Era of Diversity
The ethnic, cultural, linguistic, and socioeconomic composition of America's young children has never been so diverse. This session discussed how quality preschool can help children of all backgrounds reach their full potential in school and in life. - Antonia Lopez, Director of Early Care and Education, National Council of La Raza (moderator)
- Linda Espinosa, Associate Professor, University of Missouri-Columbia -- Presentation
- Jane Henderson, Executive Director, First 5 California Children and Families Commission -- Presentation
- Evelyn Moore, President, National Black Child Development Institute -- Presentation
Engaging New Voices to Promote Quality Preschool
The "unexpected messenger" can often be a powerful voice in support of quality preschool. This session identified effective strategies to engaging new partners and identifying their role in moving a preschool agenda. - Sanford Newman, Executive Director, Fight Crime: Invest in Kids (moderator)
- Sheriff Michael Carona, Orange County, California;
- Rob Mosbacher, President, Mosbacher Energy Company
- George Askew, Executive Director, Docs for Tots -- Presentation: Part 1 Part 2
Preschool as an Economic Development Strategy
This session discussed the costs and benefits of preschool as an economic development strategy, and offered tips on how to engage the economic development community in support of quality preschool. - Michael Petro, Vice President, Committee for Economic Development (moderator)
- W. Steven Barnett, Director, National Institute for Early Education Research -- Presentation
- Arthur J. Rolnick, Senior Vice President and Director of Research, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis
- Susan Pareigis, Director, Florida Agency for Workforce Innovation
Public Engagement and Communications Strategies
Recent polls suggest growing public support for investments in quality preschool. This plenary outlined effective strategies for building public will and communicating messages to diverse audiences. Panelists identified successful tools and strategies for moving a preschool agenda at the state level. - Joan Benso, President and CEO, Pennsylvania Partnership for Children (moderator)
- Christopher Blunt, President, Overbrook Research -- Presentation
- Joshua Ulibarri, Senior Analyst, Lake, Snell, Perry and Associates -- Presentation
- Margaret Blood, President, Strategies for Children/Early Education for All
Aligning the Goals of Preschool and K-12
The No Child Left Behind Act requires states to measure student achievement in reading and math by the end of third grade. Research shows that quality preschool can help states meet these goals by promoting school readiness among young children. This session reviewed recent state efforts to link preschool and K-12 learning standards, and discussed the challenges and appropriate methods for measuring results for young children. - Amy Wilkins, Executive Director, Trust for Early Education (moderator)
- Craig T. Ramey, Director, Georgetown University Center on Health and Education -- Presentation
- Deborah J. Stipek, Dean, Stanford University School of Education -- Presentation
- Susan Tave Zelman, Superintendent of Public Instruction, State of Ohio -- Presentation
Building a High-Quality Preschool Workforce
Research shows that quality preschool is directly linked to the qualifications and training of teaching staff. This session will discuss the evidence to support the need for highly-qualified teachers, and present strategies for creating a high-quality preschool workforce. - Mark Ginsberg, Executive Director, National Association for the Education of Young Children (moderator)
- Marcy Whitebook, Director, Center for the Study of Child Care Employment, Institute of Industrial Relations, University of California, Berkeley -- Presentation
- Ellen Frede, Assistant to the Commissioner, Early Childhood, New Jersey Department of Education
The Delivery and Governance of Quality Preschool
States administer preschool programs through a number of state and local governance structures and deliver programs in multiple early care and education settings. This session will describe state approaches to program delivery and governance. - Rachel Schumacher, Senior Policy Analyst, Center for Law and Social Policy (moderator) -- Presentation
- Carolyn Cobb, Director, North Carolina More at Four -- Presentation
- Marsha Moore, Director, Georgia Office of School Readiness -- Presentation
Toward Early Success: Bridging Policies for Infants, Toddlers, and Preschoolers
Research shows that the first three years of life are critical to brain development and school readiness. This session will discuss how states can incorporate the needs of infants and toddlers into a quality preschool agenda, drawing on lessons learned in several states. - Patricia Kempthorne, First Lady, State of Idaho (moderator)
- Joan Lombardi, Director, The Children's Project -- Presentation
- Barbara Reisman, Executive Director, The Schumann Fund for New Jersey -- Presentation
Acknowledgements
The Governors Forum on Quality Preschool was funded by generous support from members of the foundation community, including The Pew Charitable Trusts, the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, The Foundation for Child Development, the Joyce Foundation, the Milken Family Foundation, and the George Gund Foundation.
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