Letter from Lori McClung, groundWork director
Dear Friends,
It's 2007 at last! After so many months of hard work bringing people together, energizing thousands of supporters, and building a realistic initial platform for early care and education in Ohio, it is time to create real change. Our state's budget process for the next biennnium is beginning, and we are ready to bring our message directly to the legislature. Already more than 3,000 volunteers have signed up to call their legislators, write letters to the editors of their local newspapers, or testify in Columbus during the budget process. It is during the budget process that local early care and education providers need to be trained, willing, and able to advocate ofor our affordable, reasonable, early childhood platform. > View Full Article
No "Reason" to Back Down: groundWork is Important
As demand for early care and education grows nationwide, so does opposition from libertarians like the Reason Foundation. Unfortunately, arguments like those in their 2006 report, Assessing Proposals for Preschool and Kindergarten: Essential Information for parents, taxpayers, and policymakers, can be convincing to those who don't realize that their facts are obsolete, skewed, or sometimes just wrong.
Now, the NIEER (National Institute for Early Education Research) has published a useful review of the arguments and provided clear and compelling information that explains why it makes sense to make the groundWork for school success- high quality early care and education available to all children. > View Full Article
Behind groundWork: Sixteen Practical Visionaries
Some people are "practical" and others are "visionary", but few are both. At least sixteen Ohioans fit that description - the groundWork steering committee. Members come from every section of the state, both major political parties, and a unique array of government, philanthropic, educational, and non-profit organizations. They came together because they share a vision: a fair chance for every Ohio child to grow and develop in the early years. > View Full Article
Activists Gearing Up and Getting it Done!
With a new legislature and a supportive governor starting budget development, the impact of every phone call and visit is magnified. And groundWork is ready, with an expanding army of supporters organizing to put the groundWork platform in the budget. Today, 18 local committees are working very effectively to educate their legislators: all Senators and 93 of our 99 House members are scheduled to meet with local advocates. > View Full Article
Message from our Governor: Early Education is Essential to Ohio's Future
Over the past year, as Ohioans shared their hopes for turning Ohio around, I heard one work repeated more often than any other: Education. Ohioans want schools that work because we understand that our future depends on it. Most of us understand, as well, that funding is only one of the challenges we must meet so every Ohio child can have a fair chance to succeed in school and in life.
Good 21st century jobs require more from workers; our public schools must produce graduates who are ready for advanced education and life-long learning. Such competence doesn't start to develop in high school, or even in grade school. Academic success must be built from the very beginning, with the social, emotional, and academic tools our youngest children need in order to master basic skills. > View Full Article
Ohio GroundWork Campaign
1226 Huron Road, Suite 300
Cleveland, Ohio 44115
ph: (216)781-2944
fax: (216)781-2988 CLICK HERE to email us!
