Equity Leaders Action Network (ELAN) · support ELAN leaders to move from a defined opportunity to the design of an action plan to implementation of plans. BUILD will also support

Equity Leaders Action Network (ELAN)

BUILD

• Promotes early childhood systems work that identifies and addresses the root causes of disparities and supports state remedies to address them.

• Driven by vision of a comprehensive, high-quality, racially equitable early childhood system that ensures all children have an opportunity to develop and reach their full potential without discrimination or bias.

BUILD Activities

Customized TA, Learning Tables, Meetings and Research

• Professional Development/Teaching and Learning

• Dual Language Learners

• Family Engagement

• Advancing Racially Equitable Systems

• Health Equity

• Mental Health

• Kindergarten Assessment

• Quality Rating and Improvement Systems

• Infants/Toddlers

• RTT-ELC Successes and Lessons Learned

• State and Community Systems Development

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System of Systems: The “Four Ovals”

http://www.buildinitiative.org/TheIssues/SystemsBuilding.aspx

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Multiple Systems and Sciences

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Equity not Equality

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BUILD POINT OF VIEW

• Ensure that all children have an opportunity to develop and reach their full potential, without experiencing discrimination or bias within the early childhood system.

• Identify and address the root causes of disparities and support state remedies to address those causes.

• Provide equitable opportunities and resources for excellent educational and developmental outcomes for children from groups historically discriminated against due to race.

• Take concerted actions to correct or respond to discrimination in other arenas that negatively impact young children and their families.

• Intentionally build leadership at all levels of systems that reflect the racial diversity of the children and families.

• Ensure that systems recognize and provide culturally and linguistically responsive services contoured to the needs of the child in the context of the child’s family and community.

IOM Report restates what we know:

“Secure and responsive relationships with adults (and with other children), coupled with high-quality, positive learning interactions and environments, are foundational for healthy development of young children. Conversely, adults who are under informed, underprepared, or subject to chronic stress themselves may contribute to children’s experiences of adversity and stress and undermine their development and learning.” (Institutes of Medicine, 2015)

What We Know

Race for Results Index Scores Source: Annie E. Casey Foundation, Race for Results, 2014

In its Race for Results report, the Annie E. Casey Foundation developed a composite score to compare how children fare on 12

key milestones, from normal birthweight to 4th grade reading proficiency and family income.

The higher the score, the greater the likelihood that children in that group are meeting

milestones associated with success.

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Strategic Framework For Advancing Justice

• Address racial inequality explicitly but not necessarily exclusively

• Focus on impacts rather than intentions

• Focus on structural and institutional equality rather than only personal prejudice

• Make equity an ongoing priority

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A structure to support leaders in

developing the will and skill to question

personal assumptions, intitutional and

structural policies and practices, and work

collaboratively to develop a blueprint to

promote early childhood systems that are

expliciitly and measurably equitable and

excellent for all children.

A network of leaders that will work

together and remain together over

time to:

• Critically examine institutional and

structural policies and practices in the

distribution of state and federal resources

(funding and services); and

• Advance change to avoid disadvantaging

children and families of diverse racial and

ethnic groups and members of early

childhood workforce that emanate from

these communities.

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State and county leaders who

are key actors and decision-

makers including, but not

limited to: state early

childhood, early learning,

health and family support

leaders; program directors,

program specialists, and

county stakeholders. Leaders

will represent states, counties,

tribal and national leadership.

Timeframe: Selected leaders are

expected to participate in the project for

three years. We recognize that a member

may have a job or position change, but

we would like the member to continue

his/her participation if possible and

practical.

Use data to define an opportunity: Selected

leaders will focus on addressing issues of program

quality, access to programs and services for the

child, and/or leadership of early childhood

programs. They will use their state’s data to

define specific geographic target areas,

populations of children, families or the workforce

for specific analysis of quality, access, and

leadership.

Persistence: Teacher Rated

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Persistence: Rated By Parents

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Apply analysis to practice/take action: BUILD will

support ELAN leaders to move from a defined

opportunity to the design of an action plan to

implementation of plans. BUILD will also support

members to document specific actions taken to

address racial disparities and promote racial

equity in states and communities so that we can

all learn from the efforts—the things that worked

well and those that didn’t.

December 2015

Leading for Equity Institute: An intensive

three-day experience to: build background

knowledge; grow equity-focused community

of practice; grow equity-consciousness; and

develop an equity lens. (Proposed dates:

December 1-3)

January-April 2016

Regional Institutes: Three regional follow-up

institutes allow for regional conversations and

discussion of issues, analysis and taking action.

Ongoing

Continuous Learning, Support, and Capacity

Building: Experienced facilitators will provide

regular follow-up work sessions throughout the

year to develop a cadre of equity leaders and

coaches to deepen and expand racially

equitable early childhood systems work in

subsequent years.

Describe how you come to equity work and what keeps you in equity work

Description of your authority and/or influence, role and responsibility

General overview of your organization’s current early childhood systems-building priorities

Your primary goals and objectives for seeking to join the Equity Leaders Action Network

Describe your work over the last three years on behalf of children birth to age five.

Describe your point of view regarding structural inequalities and/or institutional inequalities for children and their families birth to age five.

Letters of Support: at least one letter from your leadership • its goal to promote strategies to advance

equity • supporting your participation • clearly convey the reason for the writer’s

support of your participation in the ELAN • his/her openness both to thinking about

disparities and taking action to advance equity

• potential policy and practice changes identified as a result of your participation

• Online Application: If you would like to apply to participate in the ELAN, applications are due no later than 5 pm ET on July 30, 2015.

• Letters of support should be emailed separately to Blanche Stokes at [email protected]

Application Due Date

FAQ’s Q: Will it be possible to view the webinar after the date?

A: Yes, you will be able to listen to the webinar at a later date.

Q: Who is invited to apply for this opportunity?

A: We are open to a wide range of leaders. We definitely want people inside and outside of government. This includes but is not limited to county, state, local municipalities or tribal leaders. The goal is to engage individuals with state or county influence.

Q: What is the commitment of time?

A: At least one 2-3 day meeting each year and at least 1 full day regional meeting each year. It is also expected that network members participate over the three years with colleagues around the country.

Q: What are the travel requirements for this position?

A: At least one national meeting is planned each year, which is likely to require travel. In addition, there will be at least one regional meeting per year.

Q: What are the fees associated with this opportunity?

A: There are no fees associated with the opportunity, however, if accepted and you make travel arrangements and are unable to participate you may be required to reimburse BUILD. Also, it is hoped that learning from the network can be implemented within existing resources in your scope of work.

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Questions & Discussion

Thank You!

Sherri Killins, Ed.D, [email protected] Director of Systems Alignment and Integration, BUILD Initiative ELAN Application: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/elanapplication