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Listening to and advocating for children, families, and early childhood education.
​Watch this space for announcements about any upcoming sessions.
​In the meantime, catch up on the latest news below.

Hear Our Voices from the Hilltop: Shma Koleinu Members Reflect on the NAEYC Public Policy Forum

3/23/2023

 
On February 28, 2023, early childhood leaders from across the country collaborated to urge lawmakers to invest in substantial and sustainable federal child care funding. For two days leading up to the visit to the Hill, the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) organized an informative and thought-provoking conference, which provided state teams with key tools and resources for effective meetings with their representatives.
PictureShma Koleinu Members (from left to right), Emily Hausman, Lisa Plotkin, Ilana Dvorin Friedman, and Kathy Pomer, pose in front of the NAEYC backdrop.
Five of us from Shma Koleinu attended the NAEYC Public Policy Forum and gained tremendous knowledge and strategies for optimizing advocacy opportunities. Empowered by our congressional visits on the Hill, we continue to shout our collective call to action from the hilltops: Tell Congress that affordable, high-quality child care is essential and requires ongoing federal investments. "Enough chatter," Lisa Plotkin, active Shma Koleinu member keenly asserts, "we need action, for our educators, our families, and our children." 


​We hope these reflections and pictures from our meaningful experience on the Hill empower those reading to take action with us!
​

​​Our lived experience is expertise! We have to stop thinking that we need certain training or classes or degrees in order to speak to power. We have to lead with our lived experience, and there’s no one that can refute it. The people on the Hill need it, and we are doing a disservice when we don’t share. This is the Pirkei Avot text in action! We don’t need to complete the task but we must not withdraw from it (Kathy Pomer, Maryland).
PictureLisa Plotkin visits the Capitol Building.
It is all about relationships; showing up to a meeting is only the beginning or continuation of the process. I’m still struck by the disconnect between how the general population claims to value early childhood education but how our society and government do not support the field with adequate funding in a sustainable way, yet. We see in movies all the time: ancient townsfolk used to visit their kings and royal rulers, bow at their feet, and plead what they needed, explaining them their issues. That’s what it felt like on Capitol Hill. I have to believe, we can do better. Early childhood educators deserve so much more, It just doesn’t add up. Yet! (Lisa Plotkin, Virginia).

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Lisa Plotkin and a few members of the Virginia NAEYC team enjoy their visit to the Capitol.
We all have the power of our stories and the power to elevate the stories' of others. As representatives of their constituents and future voters, legislators meet regularly with diverse advocates about various issues. It is normal to feel nervous, but our legislators and their staff members are people, too! Our state team came prepared with concise and accurate information. But, at the end of the day, it was our stories that illuminated current issues and, will hopefully resonate with decision-makers. With each new  engagement with our legislators, we build relationships and our advocacy and leadership skillsets. Trust your expertise and your passion! (Ilana Dvorin Friedman, Illinois).
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Jill Cimafonte (left) with three other members of the NAEYC New Jersey team with United States Representative Tom Kean, Jr. (D-NJ).
​Meeting with Representative Kean, Jr. was an especially meaningful experience because lives near our Temple (Jill Cimafonte, New Jersey). 
Our Collective Call to Action
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You may feel inspired to attend next years' NAEYC Public Policy Forum with us- and we look forward to advocating with you! BUT you do not have to wait a whole year to use your voice. 

​
Contact your elected officials today:​​

  • Because children deserve high-quality care and education.
  • Because educators deserve respect and wages to thrive.
  • Because families deserve affordable, trustworthy programs so they can go to work. 
  • Because our society and economy deserve a better system for success.
Click here for contact information for your United  States Representatives.  
Click here for contact information for your United State Senators.
Click here to urge Congress to support President Biden's ECE Budget
Email Shma Koleinu aBOUT YOUR ADVOCACY EFFORTS AND BE FEATURED ON OUR WEBSITE!

The Power of Family Voice: Reflections on Congressman Brad Schneider’s Visit to a Jewish Early Childhood Program

12/30/2022

 
“Let’s get this message out,” championed Congressman Brad Schneider (IL-10) during a recent visit at the Bernard Weinger JCC Early Childhood program, coordinated by JUF’s Jewish Early Childhood and Government Affairs teams. The message: early childhood care and education requires robust, long-term federal funding.  

After a heartwarming morning with young students and talented educators, Congressman Schneider asserted that “education is necessary for the future” and solving the child care crisis is a “priority.” 
​
Our visit with Congressman Schneider reaffirmed that early childhood advocacy is successful when families join to share their experiences and challenges
. During the visit, a long-time JCC parent and active leader in the Family Involvement Group (FIG) shared her family’s experience and why consistent, reliable, high-quality care is critical for young children and their families. Her captivating words underscored how the expertise of educators, partnerships with social services, and relationships with other families creates a safe and enriching community for her family. The stories about the central role of the JCC early childhood program in her life inspired deep conversations about the need for greater federal investments in child care.  ​

​​In conversations with policymakers, family stories achieve 3 things:
​The 3 E's.
​
1. Enliven data 
Data is powerful for identifying specific challenges facing the child care industry. Prominent early education and child care organizations have put forth compelling reports about the progress toward fixing this broken system. But, numbers are not enough; compelling narrative data that captures personal, human experience, as these reports include, is critical for affecting change.  As advocates, we must appeal not only to the mind but to the heart. Personal accounts about the impact of the pandemic on families’ employment, child care options, mental health, and children’s development give life to numbers and allow for decision-makers to be more emotionally invested in the issue.  

2. Expand the scope  
Stories not only illuminate an individual’s lived experiences but can provide broader, community level insights about how child care is a needed infrastructure. As the JCC parent told stories about her own child’s experience, she seamlessly integrated various perspectives from other families, educators, and community members. In doing so, she reminded the Congressman that consistent, high-quality early childhood education is not just something “nice” or “helpful” in her family’s life, but a societal and economic necessity. 

3. Encourage action 
The true power of stories is their potential to inspire action. We cannot just equip our elected officials with qualitative and quantitative data without articulating what do with it! Our stories provide reflections on what works and what doesn’t work, what has happened and what can be. Through our stories we can urge policymakers to support specific actions and consider us their partners on the path toward change. 
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A few days after our visit, Congress passed the much-anticipated year-end spending bill with a $2.8 billion increase for child care and early learning programs Notably, the bill included a 30% increase- over $8 billion dollars- for the Child Care and Development Block Grant, which helps working families secure much needed child care for their young children. 
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But more ongoing federal and (state level) investments are needed to support this crucial infrastructure. As the 118th Congress convenes, now is the ideal time to strengthen our relationships with elected officials and maximize the current bipartisan support for early childhood care and education. Now is the time to center family voice and tell our stories.  

Ilana Dvorin Friedman ​
Early Childhood Policy Analyst, JUF Chicago 
Want to showcase your ec advocacy efforts? email us at shmakoleinu.ece@gmail.com to be featured on our website!
Click here to find your elected officials

Shma Koleinu Members Proudly Share about Our Coalition Wherever They Go

12/2/2022

 
The lack of pay parity for skilled and talented educators, the unaffordable price tag on quality early childhood education, and the absence of robust federal and state level investments are key issues that fueled the formation of our Shma Koleinu: Hear Our Voices Coalition. Jewish values anchor our commitment to uplift our diverse early childhood communities and engage with stakeholders to champion crucial child care policies.  

As members of Shma Koleinu, we bring these messages with us wherever we go, in our various roles, experiences, and collaborations. We welcome new partners on our ongoing mission of listening to and advocating for children, families, and early childhood education.  
​

The following is an excerpt from reflections* shared by two valued Shma Koleinu members,
Shellie Dickstein and Ellen Greene
.
 
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Our History, Our Goals, Our Journey

Along with other colleagues working in Jewish nonprofit sector, we were feeling frustrated that we could not do advocacy work for the field as part of our educational portfolios because it was viewed as “political.” So, we reached out to Jewish early childhood directors and leaders to organize and create a volunteer consortium, outside of our formal work positions, to lend our Jewish voices (hence the name Shma Koleinu) to advocate for Federal, State and local support for these issues. 

We began around the time of the 2020 elections building our own knowledge and trying to parse out the details about what proposals were being written on the Federal level. We connected with consultants to understand the political landscape and to train in how to speak to representatives and tell our stories, and then make calls to our representatives to support the family and early childhood proposals of the Build Back Better Bill. We learned that personalized stories and those of individual teachers and parents struggling were best. At the same time, we continued to get the word out and build our coalition of volunteers. 

Leading up to the 2020 election, we also gathered resources about introducing young children to concepts of democracy and citizenship and made them available to educators on our website. 
We each also had to learn about the local support mechanisms in each of our communities and report back at meetings so we could put together a picture of similarities and differences in localities. And many of us became involved with local efforts to get legislators to increase their budgets in support of early childhood and families. 

We also started educating ourselves around issues of inclusivity and connecting to the broader early childhood movements to understand the experiences in minoritized communities.  
When Build Back Better became the Inflation Reduction Act, we spent time phone banking to Congress to support the portion for children and families and even though nationally we were very disappointed as each of these proposals shrank and left the issues of children and families out, we never gave up, and will not give up, adhering to the saying from Pirke Avot, “Lo alecha hamlacha ligmor, lo alecha ligmor,” "You are not required to finish the work, yet neither are you permitted to desist from it.”  We know this is ongoing work, and just recently leading up to the midterm elections, many of us worked to get out the vote for candidates that support our agenda and mission.  
​
 
We are continuously advocating to elevate and personalize the field of early childhood education. Our members are like all of you, who have chosen our professional journey dedicated to young children and their families. They live all over the country and like you are leaders in our chosen field. The most remarkable part is that the focus of Shma Koleinu is ever changing with remarkable achievements so far in our ongoing journey.   
Click here to email Shma Koleinu and Join Our Coalition!
*From AJU'S Early Childhood Education Mentors Meeting

Register to vote TODAY!

10/19/2022

 
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​​This week, in Parshat Bereishit, we read that God created the world with space for people to play an active role in its ongoing creation. One way we enact B’tzelem Elokim, being made in God’s image, is through an intentional engagement in the creation of a more perfect and just world. The work is vast, but, “it is not your duty to finish the work, but neither are you at liberty to neglect it.” (Pirkei Avot 2:16). 

Our tradition teaches us that this duty extends to the participation and betterment of the communities in which we live. As individuals, we can do this by voting for our elected officials and motivating others to vote. 


​
​Monday, November 8 is election day- use your voice and right to vote in order to make the world a better place for its youngest inhabitants. Our country needs an early learning system that can meet the needs of working families- and the early educators they rely on. Set our children up for success. Vote!

rEGISTER TO VOTE TODAY
Share this flyer with your educators and families with a QR code to register to vote! 
 
Read these articles about voting and young children: 
  • Introducing Young Children into the Concepts of Democracy and Citizenship  
  • Democracy, from Generation to Generation   
Review these resources to learn more voting and your organization: 
  • Voter Education Guide   
  • Nonpartisan Candidate Education: How 501(c)(3)s Can Talk to Candidates During an Election Year 

Partnership, Pictures, and Plans: Reflections on an Early Childhood Jewish Education Site Visit with Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky

9/19/2022

 
On Wednesday, September 7, Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (IL-09) experienced the beauty of early childhood Jewish education as she engaged with, and even danced with, her youngest constituents, students at JCC Chicago Beth Emet in Evanston. Congresswoman Schakowsky’s visit is an example of an important advocacy approach: inviting legislators as partners into our programs. During her time at Beth Emet, we thanked her for her ongoing support, shared about the Jewish Early Childhood Collaborative, JUF Chicago, and JCC Chicago, and discussed the current child care landscape. We laughed, and we cried. The successful visit ended with pictures, hugs, and a shared understanding that the child care system requires long-term, federal funding.  

After her visit, Congresswoman Schakowsky amplified the main child care issues from our conversations on her Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram pages: "Child care costs are up, while teacher pay remains low. All families deserve access to affordable early childhood education and teachers deserve higher wages. Let’s do it.”  
​
In the beginning of her post, she expressed the joy from her visit: “No better way to start the day.” And those of us in her presence could not agree more. Congresswoman Schakowsky’s visit, besides being enjoyable, left us feeling optimistic and energized: optimistic that our legislators represent the interests and needs of families with young children and energized to continue engaging in the advocacy work necessary to advance robust child care investments.  
​
Advocacy is an ongoing endeavor within many levels of influence from our daily interactions with children and families to our partnerships with elected officials. The journey is challenging; disappointment and frustration often ensue. But it is meaningful opportunities like this one with Congresswoman Schakowsky that leave a strong impression and provide lessons to continue along the advocacy path:  
  1. Thoughtfulness and intentionality are important, but flexibility is critical: When preparing for a site visit, the goals should guide the intentional design of the schedule, including talking points and tour of the facility. However, aspects of the event may not go as planned. Just as early childhood educators utilize children’s interests, capacities, and needs to inform their practice, we need to be flexible and adjust in the moment as we work with the real people at the event.  
  2. ​Collaboration and unity are a must: There are various stakeholders who should be invited to the table and included in organizing the program. We need to bolster each other’s perspectives as partners in order to work together to best support children and families. In the case of this site visit, the Congresswoman was noticeably pleased to be hearing from parents following the tour. 
  3. Gratitude, gratitude, gratitude: Take the time to express gratitude to everyone involved. Engaging with elected officials may feel overwhelming and stressful. Thank those who contributed their time and knowledge. Take the time to express gratitude to the legislator (especially for past votes that made a difference), as well. Be creative and gift them with something meaningful that they can hold onto as a reminder of the visit and its messages. This can be something that reflects the values or educational philosophy of the program; on this visit, the children had decorated a small wooden box and inside were quotes from the children about what it means to be in a community. 
  4. ​Pause to celebrate—but only briefly--because the job isn’t done. After an incredible advocacy experience like this, it is not just okay, but necessary to pause, take some deep breaths, reflect and celebrate. But not for too long. Use the positive energy from the experience to start planning the next thing! Children, families, and educators rely on us to amplify their voices and represent their needs. Reflect on the success and consider specific ways the experience will inform the next one. 
When greeting Congresswoman Schakowsky at the start of the visit, she looked me straight in my eyes with an intensity I had never previously experienced. It was an affirming feeling. I knew her commitment to showing up that day was not just something to check off a list; she was there for a purpose--to partner with us in efforts to affect change. And, yes, there was “no better way to start the day” than engaging in advocacy for child care and early learning! 

Ilana Dvorin Friedman 

​Early Childhood Policy Analyst, JUF Chicago 

For more information about organizing a site visit or showcasing EC advocacy efforts on the Shma Koleinu website, please contact Ilana Dvorin Friedman at IlanaFriedman@juf.org
Find your elected officials and partner to support children, families, and the child care workforce
#SolveChildCare
#ShmaKoleinu
#HearOurVoices

Shma Koleinu Engages Conference Participants in Advocacy for Early Childhood Education

8/24/2022

 

The Paradigm Project Pop-Up 
St. Louis, August 14, 2022-August 16, 2022

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"Ask Me How I Advocate for ECE" Pomegranate Stickers with QR Code to Shma Koleinu website. Shared with conference participants!
Shma Koleinu members were proud to have “boots on the ground” in the fight to elevate and professionalize the field of early childhood Jewish education. Over 250 educators, directors, and executives learned from members of Shma Koleinu that the moment to act and engage with members of our communities has never been so timely! 
Check out this video to view a snapshot of the opportunities for growth
​provided by the Paradigm Project in St. Louis!
#SolveChildCare
#ShmaKoleinu
#HearOurVoices

Child Care Investments Omitted from the Inflation Reduction Act.

8/12/2022

 
Tell Congress the time is STILL NOW
​to invest in their youngest constituents.

The historic Inflation Reduction Act passed in both the Senate and the House of Representatives. President Biden is expected to sign the legislation next week.

The time is STILL NOW to tell Congress that child care requires robust, multi-year federal investments. 
Read this article by Ilana Dvorin Friedman about how our Jewish values inform our ongoing call to action!
Click here to tell your legislators about your disappointment. 
Let's urge our decision-makers to continue fighting for federal child care investments!



#SolveChildCare
#ShmaKoleinu
#HearOurVoices

Take Action TODAY to Solve Child Care!

8/5/2022

 

With the August recess approaching, now is the perfect time to arrange a site visit with your members of Congress and other elected officials.
Find your elected officials and use this resource to plan your visit.


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​Now is our last chance to hold Congress accountable for the promise to include child care investments in the final reconciliation package.
​
Take Action NOW!

#SolveChildCare
#ShmaKoleinu
#HearOurVoices


Urge Congress to Invest in Child Care and Early Learning NOW!

8/4/2022

 
Picture Sign with words “If not now when?” held up by two hands surrounded by a blue sky with clouds.

​Our Jewish values inform our urgent call for action. Child care and early learning are being left behind by Congress. Families are struggling with child care costs. Providers are struggling to earn a living wage.

Take Action NOW!


#SolveChildCare
#ShmaKoleinu
#HearOurVoices

Advocating for Pay Parity #SolveChildcareWednesday

8/25/2021

 
Click here to read the full email that went out to our network.
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Advocating for a Mixed Delivery System #SolveChildcareWednesday

8/18/2021

 
Click here to read the full email that went to our network.
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Launching regular days of action

8/15/2021

 
Click here for the full email that went out to our network.
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Shma Koleinu publishes our position on the American Families Plan

6/7/2021

 

Follow along with our journey on Compensation Equity

5/29/2021

 
In 2021, Shma Koleinu is focused on two areas: Compensation equity and federal funding for ECE. To learn more about the work of the compensation equity team, we invite you to explore the Padlet that documents our journey together.

Made with Padlet

Webinar: Universal Preschool

5/24/2021

 
The American Families Plan talks a lot about this topic. What does it mean? 4 ECE directors across 3 states will tell us what it has meant in their states. This is knowledge we all need as advocates.

​You will be surprised by the incredible variation in what universal preschool might mean in different locales.

Click the image below for recording, notes, and resources.

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Legislative update

4/16/2021

 
Greetings from the Block Grant Initiative! Since we last met, an amazing milestone occurred: the passage of the American Rescue Plan Act. This Act was passed in the House on February 27, and then it moved over to the Senate, where it was passed on March 6. On March 10, the House of Representatives voted to approve the changes made by the Senate, and then they sent the bill to the President, who signed it into law on March 11.

As you know, this Act did three things that are relevant to Shma Koleinu:
Number one, it brought families stimulus checks and numerous tax credits. Number two, it funded $15 billion for CCDBG, providing child care assistance to children in families with low incomes. And number three, it directed $25 billion for Emergency Stabilization for the childcare industry, benefiting centers. All told, this Act realized and brought to a close a yearlong campaign to bring $50 billion to the childcare sector. 

We want to pause for a moment: 
You were part of this. 
You’ve listened and learned 
You’ve shared stories. 
You have become an advocate. 

Ba-ruch A-tah A-do-noi E-loi-hei-nu
Me-lech ha-o-lam she-he-chee-ya-nu v'ki-yi-ma-nu
vi-hi-gi-ya-nu liz-man ha-zeh.

Blessed are You, L-rd our G‑d, King of the
Universe, who has granted us life, sustained us and
enabled us to reach this occasion.

Take a moment to pat yourself on the back. To reflect on the journey and the shifting paradigm. We invite you to take a moment and share in the chat one piece of learning you have taken from this experience thus far.

Also since we last met, we hosted webinars that helped all of us, plus the wider network of Shma Koleinu advocates, get to know and learn from advocates in Washington. This process of building our knowledge is vital. There is much to learn to get literate in government policy and funding for ECE. From the National Council for Jewish Women, we heard about how the America Rescue Plan Act and its provisions for families are having more than a modest impact: they are cutting childhood poverty in half. This is a reminder to early childhood advocates that, in the words of Marianne Williamson, we are powerful beyond measure, and our playing small doesn’t serve the world. That is, when funded properly, early childhood education and investing in children and families IS as powerful as we have always suspected. At this week’s webinar with the National Women’s Law Center, we learned that advocates must be bold in telling the truth about what is needed and that we must not be limited by what is politically possible.

Recently, our Initiative has focused on where CCDBG and Stabilization funds go when they get to the state level. Here is what we learned: Every state is different. For our own literacy and effectiveness, Shma Koleinu advocates in every state need to know how federal funds supporting ECE arrive in their home states and where they go next. We jokingly talk about this process as being able to summarize complex ideas with the confidence and conciseness of a report a 4th grader might give in school. We suggest this be a goal for all of us--to understand and be able to articulate how and where money comes into our own states for ECE; how it gets spent; and by whom. This process will take time to investigate and internalize. Be aware that this is an area for growth for each of us and we want to say thank you to the block grant members who have begun doing the work to support us in this deep dive.

Here is an example of what you might learn as you embark on this process of learning about your own state:

In Connecticut, our state officials are not as transparent about things as we believe they should be. For example, we have an Office of Early Childhood, but it does not make clear exactly what programs it funds. It should not be this hard to figure out how our money is being spent.

The majority of CCDBG funds in Connecticut go to Care for Kids, which is our subsidy for low-income families. Only these subsidies don’t fund parents who are in school—it is only for parents with full-time jobs. And the funds only cover 25% of the tuition. And parents have to reapply every month. Money also goes to QRIS, school readiness programs, and technical assistance to family-based child care. We have had a problem in Connecticut with unlicensed home providers--in recent years, children have died in unlicensed home-based care, leading to some really significant funds toward licensing and providing CPR and first aid training for these providers.

As for American Rescue funds, a significant amount of them will go directly to centers. This will come out soon as a one-time payment of as much as $600 per child. 

These funds will also support Care for Kids, the program where low income families can access a subsidy to be used at child care centers or family childcare or even to pay a family member who looks after a child. The American Rescue Plan will make it easier for families to access these funds--parents or guardians will be able to get these funds while in job training or in school, and they will be able to apply in 12-month increments. The funds will cover training for and accreditation by NAEYC for interested centers. Most importantly, out of the money that comes in to providers, 24% of funds must go directly and immediately to your currently employed ECE staff either as a bonus or a raise. 

In Illinois, CCDBG pays for quality improvement and PD; projects run by child care resource and referral agencies (a category known as a CCR&Rs); data systems; and ECE subsidies for low income families. These subsidies, called CCAP in Illinois, are paid for by CCDBG as well as a number of other sources.

Stabilization dollars from the American Rescue Plan make three things possible: (1) Enabling the state to pay centers accepting CCAP for all eligible days of childcare regardless of the child’s attendance; (2) Providing PPE to childcare providers across the state; and (3) Restoration Grants, which provide as much as 30k per month to our full-day, licensed centers.

In New York, the Office of Children and Family Services is the centralized place where many federal funds come in and from which they get disbursed around the state. In my research I learned about an advocacy organization called Empire State Child Care, which also consolidates information coming out of the state budget. From them I learned that last week the NY Legislature passed a budget for FY21-22 that has numerous investments in childcare ($2.4 billion), including new universal Prek classrooms, expanded QRIS, and additional subsidies for low income families. The budget also calls for $1.3 billion in stabilization grants to support expenses, as well as additional funds for cleaning and safety.

In general, we found in our research, states vary in their transparency and coordination. What stands out in all states is the alphabet soup of organizations that are involved and the variety of government grants that are funding state programs. There is surely much learning for us all to do. And mistakes we will make as we do.

Looking ahead, as many of our speakers have told us, we know that we need long-term, sustained investments and solutions in order to make the change we seek. Our Initiative expects to foster a grassroots campaign to support President Biden’s Infrastructure Bills, known as the American Jobs Plan. In addition, we intend to dream big and ask ourselves what a bold vision for federal funding could and should look like and what that could mean for Jewish early childhood programs.

Webinar: The future of childcare policy

4/12/2021

 
We are hearing rumblings about the President’s vision for supporting early childhood in the upcoming infrastucture bill(s). Let’s get the latest from Washington. ​
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We won't go back. We can't.

4/9/2021

 
The pandemic may have forced a reckoning around child care, but advocates don’t want to simply return to the way things were before the crisis started. “The goal is not to go back to an inequitable status quo.”
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Saying Todah (thanks)... and Kadima (onward)!

3/23/2021

 
Together with numerous organizations, Shma Koleinu signed and sent a letter to the administration on building a comprehensive and equitable child care and early learning system. This letter outlines our deep appreciation for the Administration’s leadership on the American Rescue Plan and offers our continued partnership and support. We offer recommendations for ensuring that equitable economic recovery efforts that prioritize child care and early learning take place moving forward. Without a child care system that works for every family, our economy will suffer in the short and long term. We look forward to working with the administration to prioritize child care and early learning as a key facet of our national economic infrastructure.

Webinar: A Jewish Voice at the Advocacy Table

3/8/2021

 
In the spirit of Queen Esther, let's talk about women standing up for the community! In this webinar we learn about the latest on COVID relief for ECE, from the perspective of a Jewish organization that stands up for women, children, and families.

​Click the image below for the recording.

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Legislative update and intro to CCDBG

3/5/2021

 
The block grant team of Shma Koleinu is focused on advocating for federal funding for early childhood education, with a focus on learning more about the Child Care and Development Block Grant, also known as CCDBG.

What is CCDBG? Here is a two-minute video that introduces CCDBG.
As a legislative update, you may recall that President Biden published his American Rescue Plan in January. It then went to the House of Representatives, which passed the bill on February 27. It is currently being considered and adapted for the Senate. The portions relevant to early childhood education are twofold: they are (1) grants and (2) tax credits. In terms of grants, the bill includes $15B for CCDBG, which benefits children in families with low incomes, and $25B for Emergency Stabilization for the childcare industry, which benefits centers. As for the tax portion of the bill, there is a provision for child care tax credits, benefiting families across the U.S.

This bill needs our support in order to make it through the Senate. We believe this bill will be historic.

As Senator Patty Murray has said, “The American Rescue Plan marks a historic shift in how our country approaches child care. It will allow providers to stay open and better support families who need help affording quality child care — and it also sets a new precedent for finally prioritizing economic policies that support working women and families. I’m looking forward to getting this across the finish line.”

We have one action item that we are requesting of every Shma Koleinu member, which is as follows: Follow the link that Anna is now putting in the chat, which includes instructions for placing a phone call your senator. We ask that you do this today and that you share the link with your networks.

What is ahead for our Initiative? In the coming months, we will begin a process of learning about how each of our individual states utilizes both the CCDBG funds and the Emergency Stabilization funds, with an eye toward leveraging learnings from one state to bolster activism in others. Finally, we have lined up a dynamic team of policy leaders to teach an intensive summer series on the history of American early childhood policy and funding. This course will be an element of ECEpalooza, powered by the Paradigm Project and the Sheva Center at the JCC Association of North America.

Let's talk about compensation

2/23/2021

 
From our own Mark Horowitz: 
"Perhaps most striking of all: Early childhood educators, who, prior to the pandemic, spent hours participating in professional development programs and long, full days nurturing, caring for, and educating children from six months through kindergarten earn, on average, little more than $13 an hour.
Yes, you read that number correctly: $13 an hour, which in many instances keeps them below the federal poverty line."
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Our first newsletter; share with a friend!

2/17/2021

 

Honesty and Trust in Leadership

2/5/2021

 
From the Sheva Center at the JCC Association of North America:

This week, we hear the voices of two amazing leaders from our JCC in Milwaukee as they share how honesty and trust in their working relationship helps them engage in candid, difficult conversations
—​a huge lesson for sure in early childhood and the world. It's week 5 of our video series "Giving Voice to our Values," highlighting the work of JCC early childhood centers, showing the world what good practice, thoughtful decision making, and leading with our values truly looks like. Shout out to all the early childhood leaders making difficult decisions during unprecedented times.

A Surprising Source Can Make the Best Advocate

2/4/2021

 
Trevor Noah amplifies the voices of women and families.
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