TQEE aims to be Tennessee’s “go-to” source for evidence-informed, cost-effective, publicly supported early childhood and family policy proposals that have broad bipartisan and multi-sector support from across the state.
Developing those policy proposals is an involved process that requires a lot of inputs and four key considerations.
Key Considerations
- What Works. First and foremost, we start with what works. The field of early childhood is chock full of research and evidence on policies and practices that lead to positive early learning and childhood development outcomes. We gather new information regularly through research and literature reviews, through our national network of state early childhood advocacy organizations and leading think-tanks, and especially through Tennessee-based experts and practitioners.
- What’s Cost Effective. There’s a significant body of research demonstrating strong returns on investment for early childhood programs and policies. Beyond the documented evidence, we also identify practices that improve business models and capture economies of scale; and we also actively look for opportunities for our state and local partners to optimize use of existing resources.
- What Tennesseans Want. Tennesseans overwhelmingly support investments in early childhood programs and policies; but we don’t take that for granted. We conduct formal public opinion surveys to make sure our policy priorities are aligned with values and opinions of Tennesseans across partisan lines. We also deeply engage Tennesseans across the state through our extensive network of Bright Start communities, statewide partner organizations, and business groups, among others, inviting them to help inform and shape our policy priorities.
- What State Government Leaders are Prioritizing. We recognize and appreciate that Tennessee’s elected and appointed policymakers have many priorities and perspectives. So we give significant attention to listening to them and framing early childhood policy proposals to demonstrate alignment with their goals and the sentiments of their constituents.
Policy Development Process
With the above in mind, TQEE has developed an anchoring set of policy priorities that we call our Policy Blueprint. Each year we update it and then after significant research, engagement and analysis we develop our annual legislative and administrative policy agendas.
- Legislative policy change. We develop legislation and secure legislative sponsors; and we review all bills filed each legislative session and create a hotlist of those bills that are aligned to our Policy Blueprint.
- Administrative policy change and budget. Many policies can be enacted administratively without need for legislation. Throughout the year we regularly engage with the Governor’s office and key cabinet members and departmental officials to encourage policy changes and budget priorities aligned to our Policy Blueprint. Upon the governor’s annual budget address, we analyze the proposed budget and advocate for the budget line items aligned to our Policy Blueprint.
For news and information about past policy priorities and legislative wins for young children and families, visit our “On The Hill” page.
