It’s well documented that Tennessee families are struggling to find quality child care and preschool, and most can’t afford it when they find it. As a result, many parents are reducing work hours or opting out of work altogether. In turn, businesses across the state are struggling to fill jobs and economic growth is significantly…
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Tennessee’s review of the state education funding formula
We’ll update this post and alert our coalition via social media as new information becomes available. So, check back periodically over the next several months and be sure you’re following us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn. How it started: On Oct. 8, Governor Bill Lee and Tennessee Department of Education Commissioner Penny Schwinn announced…
» Read MoreBlair Taylor appointed to Tennessee Child Care Task Force
Tennesseans for Quality Early Education (TQEE) President and CEO Blair Taylor has been appointed to serve on the Tennessee Child Care Task Force – a 15-member body charged with developing a strategic plan that will better ensure Tennessee’s working families can access quality, affordable child care. Taylor was appointed in her capacity as president of…
» Read More2021 Legislative Wrap Up
Big successes for early education, children and families this year! We had a very successful 2021 legislative session. Three legislative proposals were introduced on TQEE’s behalf, and we endorsed another six. Additionally, TQEE endorsed and advocated in support of the Governor’s legislative package presented in a special legislative session on education called by Governor Lee in January. A Strategic…
» Read MoreNew Report: TN PreK Quality Among Top 12 in Nation; But Access Still Lags
TDOE announced today that Tennessee’s Voluntary PreK Program (TN-VPK) now meets 9 out of 10 quality standards benchmarks that evaluate the effectiveness of preschool education programs, according to The State of Preschool 2020 report issued by the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER). Tennessee is among only 12 states in the nation with this distinction, which comes…
» Read MoreHappy Week-of-the-Young-Child!
Happy week of the young child everyone! The Week of the Young Child® is an annual celebration sponsored by the the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) 50 years ago to celebrate children 0-8 and their families. Watch this clip with Tabatha Rosproy, who was named Teacher of the Year in 2020…
» Read MoreNew investment of TANF in evidence-based home visiting is a step in the right direction
TQEE has been among the state’s strongest advocates for expanding Evidence-Based Home Visiting (EBHV), a best practice in early childhood development which has repeatedly proven to strengthen parenting skills, reduce abuse and neglect, and get children ready for school. In addition to the well-documented positive impact on lives, the program generates savings for taxpayers up…
» Read MoreHome Visiting’s Powerful Human Stories
Take a step back from the compelling financial return on investment of evidence-based home visiting (EBHV) policy to study the true impact of this vital program through the lives of Tennessee children. While home visiting boasts a remarkable $5.70 positive return for every $1 investment, it’s most powerful performance measure is best viewed via the…
» Read MoreSenate Republicans look to add money for child care in Covid relief measure
Republicans and Democrats alike understand that affordable, quality child care is crucial to economic growth. That’s why Senate Republicans are likely to include a provision to provide billions of dollars for child care providers in the GOP’s federal coronavirus relief bill, according to this Politico article. TQEE’s annual poll of Tennessee voters revealed 90% of…
» Read MoreMayor Jake Bynum – Weakley County, TN – On Early Education, PreK and Child Care
Mayor Jake Bynum of Weakley County, TN joined TQEE for our 2020 Day on the Hill to advocate for state policies that support quality early childhood education and, in turn, improved workforce and economic outcomes for Tennesseans. He shared his perspective with us on video, and was also joined in some of that video footage…
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