TKW Consulting

The momentum of support for early care and education is building in Minnesota -- and you can help stoke the fire on March 7th.

A recent public opinion poll showed that Minnesotans rank kindergarten readiness and education as top priorities for the state. The Star Tribune recently published an editorial telling legislators that the time to invest in early education is now. And Minnesota Public Radio reported that early education is one of the top issues this legislative session.

The research is already in -- we know that for our children to reach their full potential and to become contributing, productive members of our community as adults -- it pays to invest in high quality early care and education programs. And it's clear that we're not doing enough in Minnesota when only 50% of Minnesota chidren enter kindergarten fully prepared for success.

As concerned citizens who care about the well-being of the youngest Minnesotans, now is the time to stoke the fire and keep attention focused on the issue.

You can help by attending your Precinct Caucus this Tuesday, March 7th at 7 p.m. and submitting a resolution in support of investments in early care and education. The Precinct Caucus is the beginning of the process that Minnesota's political parties use to choose candidates and identify issues they will support in elections. The caucuses are a great opportunity for people to come together with their neighbors to discuss the issues they care about and influence the positions of their elected officials (or those who want to be elected!).

Attending your precinct caucus and submitting a resolution in support of investments in early care and education is a great way to raise awareness of the importance of the early years and to educate your neighbors and elected officials about why Minnesota needs to invest more in this critical time period. Resolutions are position statements that can be adopted at the precinct level and advance to become party positions. Politicians pay attention to the issues that are raised at precinct caucuses and we want Minnesota politicians to know how important we think it is to invest in early education for the youngest Minnesotans.

It's easy to do. Just contact your political party to find out where your Precinct Caucus is meeting in your community. Download a copy of a sample resolution supporting investments in early care and education from the Ready4K web site, or print this email and copy the suggested language onto a blank resolution form at the Caucus. You can also download additional information about Attending a Precinct Caucus

To find out where your Precinct Caucus is meeting, contact your political party:
Republican: www.gop-mn.org or 651-222-0022
Democratic-Farmer-Labor: www.dfl.org or 651-293-1200
Independence: www.mnip.org or 651-487-9700
Green: www.mngreens.org or 612-871-4585

Here's what you can say in your resolution:
Whereas, only 50% of Minnesota children entering kindergarten are fully prepared for learning success; and
Whereas, the most rapid brain growth occurs between birth and age five; and
Whereas, children who attend high quality early education programs achieve better outcomes in school and in life, in terms of higher earnings, lower crime, and less welfare use; and
Whereas, strategic investments in early care and education programs provide a public return on investment of $7 dollars for every $1 invested;
Therefore, be it resolved that the _____________ Party supports
increased state investments to expand the number of Minnesota children who are ready for kindergarten through legislation that supports parents, improves the quality of early care and education programs, increases access to high quality experiences for all children, and coordinates the efforts of parents and programs.

If you attend your Precinct Caucus and submit a resolution, let us know that you did by responding to this email. Then we can share our success stories across the state.

Please also mark your calendars for the Voices for Children Advocacy Day, Thursday March 30, 2006 at the State Capitol in St. Paul. The advocacy day is an opportunity for parents, teachers, early care and education professionals, and other concerned citizens from across Minnesota to stand up and be counted as a voice for children. More information is available at www.voicesforchildrenmn.org.

You can download more information about being an advocate for early care and education from the Ready4K web site, www.ready4k.org.