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We are launching an exciting new initiative next Wednesday at the Statehouse and would love for you to join our Facebook Live event! During the event, we will be joined by over 45 coalition members and speakers from the American Academy of Pediatrics, Ohio Chapter; OCALI; Dayton Children's Hospital; The Centers for Families and Children; Learning Grove; and Kiddie Academy. Tune in at 10 AM on February 26th via Facebook Live for our Statehouse press conference to learn more about Groundwork's exciting new initiative! OCALICON Call for Proposals is Now Open​ Help inspire change and promote access by bringing your best ideas, strategies, and research to the nation's premier autism and disabilities conference - OCALICON! The conference will take place in Columbus, Ohio from November 11-13. During the conference, you will have the opportunity to share your knowledge, experiences, and best practices with a passionate and energized audience of 3,000+ leaders, professionals, and parents from across the nation and around the world. Don't miss this 3-day world-class learning and networking opportunity focused on autism spectrum disorder, low-incidence disabilities, and sensory disabilities. Submit your proposal before the March 25, 2020 deadline! Learn More Unearthing Fairness During Black History Month​ On September 3, 1957 the desegregation of Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas gained national attention as Governor Orval Faubus mobilized the Arkansas national guard to prevent nine African American students from integrating the high school. It wasn’t until September 25th that the Little Rock Nine got to attend class on behalf of President Dwight Eisenhower sending U.S. Army troops to protect those students. In 2020, out of the top 50 most segregated school districts in the country, Ohio is home to 17 of them. As we work to advance early learning and healthy development strategies, we must consider the continuum of care that our young children navigate as they enter their K-12 years. A consistent 30-point gap persists between the percentage of disadvantaged versus non-disadvantaged students performing at grade level from kindergarten through the start of high school. The gap between black and white students starts at a 23-point difference in the percentage of students prepared to enter kindergarten. A few years later, that gap has grown to a 33-point gap in Third Grade Reading performance—and by the time kids reach 8th grade, there is a 36-point difference in the percent of students performing at grade-level for the Eighth Grade Math assessment. These assessments are both strong predictors of college readiness and career success. Learn More Promoting Early Literacy Through the Ohio Governor's Imagination Library​ The Imagination Library is now available in 56 counties, meaning more than 130,000 children ages 0-5 are now eligible to receive a free monthly book! The Ohio Governor's Imagination Library's goal is to reach every young child in each of Ohio's 88 counties. So far, OGIL is over halfway there to achieving this goal with many more participating counties on the horizon. This week, Franklin County announced the launch of its Imagination Library program. In Franklin County alone, all of its 83,000 children under the age of 5 are eligible to enroll in this free program. To enroll your child in the program, please visit: https://ohioimaginationlibrary.com/enroll . Check out our newest resource on early literacy to learn more about the Ohio Governor’s Imagination Library’s efforts to advance early learning throughout the state! Read the Report Each week, Groundwork will now wrap up our newsletter by spotlighting a Groundwork Advisory Committee Member to share the great things these Members are doing for young children in their communities. Mike Moroski​ Policy Manager at Cradle Cincinnati Board Member at Cincinnati Public School Website Q: What led you to get involved in Groundwork Ohio's advisory committee? A: Making things better for kids is all I want to do with my time. Q: What is your organization currently doing to help support young children and their families? A: We are laser-focused on re-powering black women in Hamilton County. As such, we are reducing the infant mortality rate. Cradle Cincinnati is committed to helping every baby in Cincinnati live to celebrate their first birthday. We are a diverse group of community members, healthcare professionals, parents and organizations all working together to save lives. Q: Tell us a fun fact about you. A: I am a singer/songwriter and perform around Cincinnati frequently.

The foundational skills that support strong reading and writing are developed long before a child enters kindergarten. Starting at birth, loving interactions with adults, sharing books, and telling stories help lay the groundwork for strong language and literacy as a child grows. When a child engages with their caregiver through books, it not only teaches children the excitement of reading, but also expands their vocabulary, builds connections between pictures and words, and supports a healthy relationship between the child and caregiver. The Imagination Library is now available in 56 counties, meaning more than 130,000 children ages 0-5 are now eligible to receive a free monthly book! The Ohio Governor's Imagination Library's goal is to reach every young child in each of Ohio's 88 counties. So far, OGIL is over halfway there to achieving this goal with many more participating counties on the horizon. This week, Franklin County announced the launch of its Imagination Library program. In Franklin County alone, all of its 83,000 children under the age of 5 are eligible to enroll in this free program. To enroll your child in the program, please visit: https://ohioimaginationlibrary.com/enroll . Check out our newest resource on early literacy to learn more about the Ohio Governor’s Imagination Library’s efforts to advance early learning throughout the state! Read the Report Addressing and Improving Infant Mortality in Ohio​ This week, Groundwork Executive Director Shannon Jones joined a panel discussion on infant mortality at the National Health Policy Conference in Washington D.C. The panel also included: Deena Chisolm , Nationwide Children’s Hospital; Charleta Tavares , PrimaryOne Health; Angela Dawson , The Ohio Commission on Minority Health; and, Amy McGee , Health Policy Institute of Ohio. During the panel discussion, experts discussed Ohio’s successes and challenges in its work to decrease infant mortality rates. The panel also discussed how the state has worked with local governments, healthcare providers, nonprofits, and advocates in this work. Ohio Legislative Children's Caucus Discusses Ohio's Growing Rate of Uninsured Kids​​ This week, the Ohio Legislative Children's Caucus convened to learn more about promoting whole-child health and wellness by addressing the growing child uninsured rate. A bipartisan group of policymakers from the Ohio Senate and House of Representatives, along with child health experts and advocates, heard from featured panelists Maureen Corcoran (Director of the Ohio Department of Medicaid), Tricia Brooks (Research Professor at the Georgetown University's McCourt School of Public Policy's Center for Children and Families), and Amy Rohling McGee (President of the Health Policy Institute of Ohio). Learn More About Ohio's Growing Rate of Uninsured Children Groundwork Announces First Early Childhood Leadership Fellowship Cohort of 2020​ This past weekend, Groundwork hosted its first Early Childhood Leadership Fellowship session with our 2020 Cohort. The Fellowship was designed to provide early education and health professionals from across the state with the opportunity to develop leadership skills, engage with thought-leaders and policymakers to advance quality early learning and health, and take steps to create state-, local-, and community-level change for young children in Ohio. We are excited to announce the Early Childhood Leadership Fellowship Cohort of 2020: Elizabeth Abbott, Bombeck Family Learning Center Krista Allison, Stark Education Partnership, Inc. Sadie Bonifas, The Great Oaks Career Campus Mary Brady, Early Childhood Resource Center Tonya Byous, The Centers for Families and Children Jennifer Cheeks, Mom2B-Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center Casandra Chermer, Ohio State University Virtual Lab School Heather Conkle, Child Care Resources Scott Dieter, Lorain City Schools Bridgette Forson, Action For Children Jarissa Garcia, Little Hands, Inc. Stephanie Geneseo, All Nestled Inn Family Childcare Nicole Gordon, Child Focus Camille Harris, All 4 Kids, LLC Malissa Harris, Little Miracles EDC Elizabeth Hibbs, Early Childhood Education Alliance Kimberly Hiltz, UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Ohio, Inc. Kelly Kaiser, Baby University Rebecca Keaton, COAD Helen Mattheis, Cincinnati Early Learning Centers Rebecca Mental, Cleveland Hearing and Speech Center Navya Nalla, Nationwide Children's Hospital- Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders Ross "Chad" Nunamaker, The Lynda A. Cohen Center for the Study of Child Development Stefanie Post, Warren County Educational Service Center Emily Rozmus, INFOhio Beth Rutter, Licking County Board of Developmental Disabilities Leslie Schreiber, Small Wonders Discovery & Learning Center Ashley Scott, Home-Based Child Care Owner Elizabeth Styles, Winton Woods City Schools Qianna Tidmore, Office of Early Childhood/Invest in Children Shannon Viccarone, Starting Point Lynecia White, Rogers Intergenerational Daycare Aysha Wilburn, The Centers for Families and Children Molly Youngstrom Hagkull, The Childhood League Center Congratulations to all of our Fellows! We are excited to be a part of and support you during your journey to become a champion for young children, families, and the early childhood profession in Ohio. New Report Highlights Why Quality Early Learning Matters​ In partnership with Cincinnati Public Schools and INNOVATIONS in Community Research and Program Evaluation at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, United Way of Greater Cincinnati Success by 6 released a report on kindergarten readiness in Cincinnati Public Schools. The report, Kindergarten Readiness, Preschool Attendance, and Academic Achievement: Comprehensive and Longitudinal Outcomes , evaluates the relationship between kindergarten readiness and high school graduation in Cincinnati Public Schools. The study found children who are in high-quality early learning programs prior to entering kindergarten demonstrate kindergarten readiness at higher rates and have improved performance in third-grade, eighth-grade, and rates of high school graduation. These findings further affirmed a large body of research on the impact of quality early learning experiences on long-term academic success. Most significantly, the study showed that children who scored higher on the literacy component of the Kindergarten Readiness Assessment were 314% more likely to be proficient in the third-grade math compared to those who did not demonstrate readiness. To learn more about the outcomes of the study, click below to read the report. Read the Report Free (Yes, Really!) Tuition for Early Educators​ The Ohio State University recently announced their Pipeline for Early Childhood Educators (PEACE) program. The PEACE program is a full-tuition program designed to help early educators advance their careers in Franklin County by covering tuition costs for a bachelor's degree in education. If you currently work in Franklin County (or plan to work in Franklin County) and have an associate's degree in early childhood education or a related field, you are eligible to participate in the PEACE program. Once accepted into the program, graduates must work three years in early care and education settings in Franklin County. The deadline to apply for the program is March 28, 2020. Learn More Unearthing Fairness During Black History Month​ Graph Source: https://www.marchofdimes.org/Peristats/tools/prematurityprofile.aspx?reg=39 In 1976, as a part of the nation’s bicentennial, Black history “Week” was expanded to month. During this year’s Black History Month, Groundwork is taking time to reflect on the progress that has been made over the past several decades and the many challenges and inequities still present in our state. Although progress has been made since the establishment of Black History Month nearly half a century ago, there is still much that needs to be done to achieve equitable outcomes for all Ohioans. One inequality that is especially appalling is the large disparity in preterm birth rates for African American babies. The preterm birth rate is significantly higher for African American children than babies of any other race. Learn more about the disparities in preterm birth and infant mortality rates in Groundwork’s Ohio Early Childhood Race and Rural Equity Report. Read the Report Each week, Groundwork will now wrap up our newsletter by spotlighting a Groundwork Advisory Committee Member to share the great things these Members are doing for young children in their communities. Dawn Blalock Operations Manager Little Miracles EDC Website Q: What led you to get involved in Groundwork Ohio's advisory committee? A: To advocate about how important it is for quality early education and to encourage policymakers to prioritize early childhood education. Q: What is your organization currently doing to help support young children and their families? A: We offer extended hours (5 a.m. to midnight) who work non-traditional hours and need quality care. Q: Tell us a fun fact about you. A: I am turning 40 this year and I registered to run the NYC Marathon this year. Wish me luck!

In 1976, as a part of the nation’s bicentennial, Black history “Week” was expanded to month. During this year’s Black History Month, Groundwork is taking time to reflect on the progress that has been made over the past several decades and the many challenges and inequities still present in our state. Although progress has been made since the establishment of Black History Month nearly half a century ago, there is still much that needs to be done to achieve equitable outcomes for all Ohioans. One inequality that is especially appalling is the large disparity in preterm birth rates for African American babies. The preterm birth rate is significantly higher for African American children than babies of any other race. Learn more about the disparities in preterm birth and infant mortality rates in Groundwork’s Ohio Early Childhood Race and Rural Equity Report . Graph Source: https://www.marchofdimes.org/Peristats/tools/prematurityprofile.aspx?reg=39

This past weekend, Groundwork hosted its first Early Childhood Leadership Fellowship session for the Fellowship's 2020 Cohort. The Fellowship was designed to provide early education and health professionals from across the state with the opportunity to develop leadership skills, engage with thought-leaders and policymakers to advance quality early learning and health, and take steps to create state-, local-, and community-level change for young children in Ohio. Fellows engage in a hybrid curriculum designed to build upon leadership and communications skills, expand knowledge around the landscape of Ohio’s early childhood systems, and empower participants to take on leadership roles in their communities and the early education and health professions across the state. By the end of the year, Fellows will have gained the knowledge and tools needed to enhance their capacity to influence healthy development and early learning policies that will improve outcomes for Ohio’s youngest children and their families. We are excited to announce the Early Childhood Leadership Fellowship Cohort of 2020: Elizabeth Abbott , Bombeck Family Learning Center Krista Allison , Stark Education Partnership, Inc. Sadie Bonifas , The Great Oaks Career Campus Mary Brady , Early Childhood Resource Center Tonya Byous , The Centers for Families and Children Jennifer Cheeks , Mom2B-Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center Casandra Chermer , Ohio State University Virtual Lab School Heather Conkle , Child Care Resources Scott Dieter , Lorain City Schools Bridgette Forson , Action For Children Jarissa Garcia , Little Hands, Inc. Stephanie Geneseo , All Nestled Inn Family Childcare Nicole Gordon , Child Focus Camille Harris , All 4 Kids, LLC Malissa Harris , Little Miracles EDC Elizabeth Hibbs , Early Childhood Education Alliance Kimberly Hiltz , UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Ohio, Inc. Kelly Kaiser , Baby University Rebecca Keaton , COAD Helen Mattheis , Cincinnati Early Learning Centers Rebecca Mental , Cleveland Hearing and Speech Center Navya Nalla , Nationwide Children's Hospital- Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders Ross "Chad" Nunamaker , The Lynda A. Cohen Center for the Study of Child Development Stefanie Post , Warren County Educational Service Center Emily Rozmus , INFOhio Beth Rutter , Licking County Board of Developmental Disabilities Leslie Schreiber , Small Wonders Discovery & Learning Center Ashley Scott , Home-Based Child Care Owner Elizabeth Styles , Winton Woods City Schools Qianna Tidmore , Office of Early Childhood/Invest in Children Shannon Viccarone , Starting Point Lynecia White , Rogers Intergenerational Daycare Aysha Wilburn , The Centers for Families and Children Molly Youngstrom Hagkull , The Childhood League Center Congratulations to all of our Fellows! We are excited to be a part of and support you during your journey to become a champion for young children, families, and the early childhood profession in Ohio.

This week, the Groundwork Advisory Committee met for our first meeting of 2020. While some faces were familiar, we also welcomed many new members to the group this year! During the meeting, Groundwork provided an overview of the great things we have in store for the upcoming year and heard from members about the activities they have planned in their communities. We were also fortunate to participate in an implicit bias training facilitated by the Kirwan Institute For The Study Of Race And Ethnicity. (Interested in learning more about the Kirwan Institute's trainings? Check out their website .) There are a lot of BIG things in the works at Groundwork and all over the state to support Ohio's youngest learners. We can't wait to share them with you in the coming weeks... stay tuned! Meet Our Members Governor DeWine Prioritizes Children in Foster Care​ Over the past year, Governor DeWine has made it a priority to evaluate and address the current issues faced by children, parents, caregivers, foster parents, caseworkers, and others involved in the foster care system. As such, Governor DeWine tasked the Children Services Transformation Advisory Council with hosting regional foster care forums to gain further insight into what is and is not working well in the foster care system. During the regional meeting in Columbus, Groundwork Policy Director & Legal Council Lynanne Gutierrez provided testimony on the dire need to recognize the unique experiences of infants and toddlers in the system and the ways we can reach children early to improve long-term outcomes. This week, the Council submitted their initial findings report, which included all of the information gathered at the regional events. In the report, the Council calls out that many of the issues faced by children in foster care can be prevented by supporting children ages prenatal to three--before they even enter the foster care system. Specifically, the report states that attendees at the regional forms highlighted the following areas of need: The development of prevention strategies informed by child development and brain science. The elevation of prenatal-to-3 prevention and early intervention efforts. The creation of a multi-system youth service model that recognizes the need to have shared accountability with other child-serving systems in Ohio. We are looking forward to hearing more about how Governor DeWine plans to utilize these findings to improve child outcomes. Read the Report Preventing Child Lead Poisoning​ The Ohio Lead Free Kids Coalition unveiled its 9-point action plan on how to move toward lead-free children by 2030 at their statehouse event this week. During the event, we were able to hear from lead-prevention leaders on how critical it is to shift more attention to preventing lead poisoning instead of catching lead poisoning after it has already occurred. In The Ohio Action Plan for Lead-Free Children , the coalition calls for the following prevention measures: Help Homeowners & Landlords Eliminate Lead Hazards Make Rental Housing Lead-Safe Protect Children from Lead During Renovation & Demolition Disclose Lead Hazards & Engage Ohioans Empower Schools & Early Learning Programs to Keep Children Lead Safe Remove Lead from Drinking Water Build a Strong Lead Workforce Research New Ways to Protect Children from Lead Improve Supports for Children Exposed to Lead We are proud to be a part of the Ohio Lead Free Kids Coalition and hope that leaders will utilize this plan to make Ohio a safe, lead-free environment for children. Read the Report Now Open: Register for Annual Literacy Academy​Registration is Now Open: Ohio Early Childhood Conference​ Registration is now open for the Ohio Association for Educating Young Children's (OAEYC) Ohio Early Childhood Conference April 23 - 25 at Kalahari Resorts in Sandusky, Ohio. During the conference, you will have the opportunity to connect with fellow early childhood professionals and experts, attend learning sessions, receive professional development credits, enjoy the resort's amenities, and so much more! In addition to all of the great learning experiences and networking opportunities during the conference, you will not want to miss the keynote speakers ! The keynote speakers include: Deshauna Barber - Miss America, Captain in the U.S. Army and Diversity Champion Gerry Brooks - YouTube Star and Educational Leader Greg & Steve - Music Legends Steve Gross - Chief Playmaker, Life is Good Registration rates increase on February 22nd - so be sure to register soon! Also, Groundwork will be in attendance during the conference - please stop by and say hi! Register for the Conference

Over the past year, Groundwork has not only expanded our team, but we have also exponentially grown our footprint in Ohio. We have no intention of stopping or slowing our momentum. In fact, we are only getting started! This is why we are excited to announce our new report, 2020: Charting the Course Ahead . The report provides, in great detail, our 2019 accomplishments and our goals moving forward. In the report, you will find that in 2019, Groundwork coordinated: 49 testimonies given by Groundwork staff and stakeholders 3,458 postcards delivered to policymakers 13 equity-focused events in 8 different regions throughout Ohio 900 Ohioans engaged in conversations around early childhood equity 250 meetings with state and federal policymakers 30 presentations and trainings to Ohio stakeholders 300 attendees at our Summit event 14 new Groundwork-branded resources released 33 news articles featuring Groundwork 781,821 impressions on social media, expanding Groundwork’s reach by 43% Great news - all of this hard work paid off! As a result of this work, there was an unprecedented bipartisan focus on investing in Ohio’s youngest children during the FY 20-21 state budget. Moving forward, we hope there is continued bipartisan support for young children. In order to continue conversation on why investing in young children matters and how we can move the ball forward, we are excited to share our policy priorities Thank you to our stakeholders, advocates, families, policymakers, and followers for making 2019 such a great year. We are so excited for what we have planned for Ohio's youngest learners in 2020 and beyond! Read the Report . Advancing Home Visiting Through Advocacy​ This week, the Groundwork team attended and presented at The Ounce of Prevention's Home Visiting Summit in Washington D.C. The Summit brought together systems leaders, practitioners, advocates and decision makers to advance home visiting as a key component of early childhood systems to improve child and family outcomes. During Groundwork's presentation, we empowered attendees to advance evidence-based home visiting by developing and mobilizing their own state strategy. To do this, we used the Vote for Ohio Kids Campaign as a case study to detail what we learned during the campaign. The presentation provided instruction on how to build and execute a strategic electoral advocacy plan through coalition building and how to implement a targeted communications plan with tailored messaging. Quality Infrastructure Incentives and Grantees Announced​ This week, Ohio Department of Job and Family Services announced the grantees of the Quality Infrastructure Grant. The Quality Infrastructure Grants were designed to aid local communities in ensuring that we continue to make progress and deliver upon the 2020 Step Up to Quality mandate. The grant was divided among regional organizations to create various supports such as training and programming to support providers in improving program quality. The $6.2 million has been awarded to the following organizations: 4C for Children : $2,00604 Starting Point : $1,201,291 Franklin County Department of Job and Family Services : $1,199,525 Early Childhood Resource Center : $800,794 Child Care Resource Center, Inc. : $371,154 Action for Children : $229,102 YWCA of Northwest Ohio : $177,622 Corporation for Ohio Appalachian Development : $155,190 YMCA of Sidney and Shelby County : $70,163 To learn more about the $6.2 million grant, click here to read the full press release from the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services . In addition to the quality grants awarded to local organizations, Ohio Department of Job and Family Services also announced $3 million in incentive payments to aid child care providers participating in Step Up To Quality. Unrated providers who submit their SUTQ registration between January 1 - February 29 will receive a one-time incentive payment after receiving their star-rating. Additionally, 1-star and 2-star programs are eligible for a one-time incentive payment if they register between January 1 - February 29 and receive a higher rating. Qualifying child care centers will earn $4,000 and family child care providers will earn $2,000. Read the press release on incentive payments from the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services by clicking here . Ohio Shows Strong Performance in Teacher Prep A new report from the National Council on Teacher Quality, a nonpartisan research and policy organization, shows significant progress among the nation’s teacher prep programs in their adherence to scientifically-based reading instruction. The NCTQ 2020 Teacher Prep Review shows programs in Ohio perform above the national average, with 72% (34) of 47 programs earning an A or a B. Ohio now ranks 9th in the nation for its program performance in early reading instruction. Interested in getting involved? Read the report or take action with this Ohio advocacy toolkit . Strolling Thunder is Back!​ On May 5, babies & families from all 50 states & the District of Columbia will descend on Capitol Hill for ZERO TO THREE’s annual national Strolling Thunder event! The families will meet with their Members of Congress to remind them to invest in their youngest constituents. We need your help! Do you know a family from Ohio with a paid leave and/or child care story who would be excited to travel to Washington, DC with their baby or toddler to urge Congress to be champions for babies? There is no experience necessary & ZERO TO THREE will cover all travel costs for a parent, their children under age three, & an adult travel companion to assist with child care. They’ll also provide guidance, training, & support to families before, during & after their trip. If you know a family who may be interested (with an emphasis on families from Congressmen Wenstrup, Stivers or Latta's districts), please have them fill out this interest form by Friday, February 7: http://bit.ly/35ENz2k . If you or they have any questions, please read ZERO TO THREE’s FAQ or feel free to contact policycenter@zerotothree.org . ZERO TO THREE will follow up with everyone who expresses interest by late March to let them know if they have been selected. Help us make babies’ potential a national priority by sharing with your networks! Stay tuned for many more opportunities to urge your policymakers to Think Babies & Act! Now Open: Register for Annual Literacy Academy​Registration is Now Open: Ohio Early Childhood Conference​ Registration is now open for the Ohio Association for Educating Young Children's (OAEYC) Ohio Early Childhood Conference April 23 - 25 at Kalahari Resorts in Sandusky, Ohio. During the conference, you will have the opportunity to connect with fellow early childhood professionals and experts, attend learning sessions, receive professional development credits, enjoy the resort's amenities, and so much more! In addition to all of the great learning experiences and networking opportunities during the conference, you will not want to miss the keynote speakers ! The keynote speakers include: Deshauna Barber - Miss America, Captain in the U.S. Army and Diversity Champion Gerry Brooks - YouTube Star and Educational Leader Greg & Steve - Music Legends Steve Gross - Chief Playmaker, Life is Good Registration rates increase on February 22nd - so be sure to register soon! Also, Groundwork will be in attendance during the conference - please stop by and say hi! Register for the Conference

In an effort to further support the health and wellbeing of Ohio's youngest children, Governor DeWine recently announced grant awards to expand early childhood mental health services across the state. Early childhood mental health (ECMH) refers to the social, emotional and behavioral wellbeing of young children and their families, including the ability to understand and express emotions, form healthy attachments, and feel confident exploring their environment. As children mature, early childhood mental health supports growth in other essential areas of development including physical health, cognitive skills, language and literacy, social skills and readiness for school. Kids who exhibit strong social and emotional skills are 54% more likely to earn a high school diploma. Kids who share or are helpful in kindergarten are 46% more likely to have a full-time job at the age of 25 Through the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities, and the Governor’s Office of Children’s Initiatives, nearly $1 million in grants were awarded to 12 mental health providers across the state. This large investment will allow more families to access mental health services for their young children during one of the most crucial times of brain development. To learn more about the awards, check out the Governor's press release . Highlighting Local Success – Kiddie Academy of Downtown Columbus​ All over the state, organizations like yours are doing amazing things to support young children and families in an effort to make Ohio the best place to be a child. In this week's newsletter, we wanted to highlight a recent success story from one organization that is providing families not only with child care services but also other family programs to ensure healthy development for young children. This week, Kiddie Academy of Downtown Columbus announced they are now officially open! Not only will this new program provide high-quality child care for young children, but starting this spring they will also provide families with a host of additional support services and opportunities. Within the 27,000 square-foot center, families will have access to trauma-informed early educators, doulas, lactation specialists, childbirth education classes (pre & postnatal), parenting classes, a library and technology center, a licensed registered nurse, a large 2-story indoor play space, and more! All of the services provided by the Academy aim to foster positive parent-child relationships and create pathways to success for families. Congratulations to Groundwork Advisory Committee member Carol Haynes on this exciting new location and the wonderful support for families in Columbus! Is your organization interested in sharing a recent success story in our newsletter? Email Julia Jackels at jjackels@groundworkohio.org for more details. Upcoming Report Assessing Teacher Prep in Ohio​ On Monday, January 27th, the National Council on Teacher Quality , a nonpartisan research and policy organization, is releasing a new nation-wide report assessing the quality of each state's teacher prep programs. The report, NCTQ 2020 Teacher Prep Review, was created by expert analysts to review the quality of preparation teacher prep programs provide to aspiring teachers. One area of focus in the report is the quality of preparation in early reading instruction. We hope you are as excited as we are to see Ohio's rating... spoiler alert: we hear Ohio programs are making BIG progress! Be sure to check our social media on Monday and our newsletter next week for a link to the report once it is released! Strolling Thunder is Back!​ On May 5, babies & families from all 50 states & the District of Columbia will descend on Capitol Hill for ZERO TO THREE’s annual national Strolling Thunder event! The families will meet with their Members of Congress to remind them to invest in their youngest constituents. We need your help! Do you know a family from Ohio with a paid leave and/or child care story who would be excited to travel to Washington, DC with their baby or toddler to urge Congress to be champions for babies? There is no experience necessary & ZERO TO THREE will cover all travel costs for a parent, their children under age three, & an adult travel companion to assist with child care. They’ll also provide guidance, training, & support to families before, during & after their trip. If you know a family who may be interested (with an emphasis on families from Congressmen Wenstrup, Stivers or Latta's districts), please have them fill out this interest form by Friday, February 7: http://bit.ly/35ENz2k . If you or they have any questions, please read ZERO TO THREE’s FAQ or feel free to contact policycenter@zerotothree.org . ZERO TO THREE will follow up with everyone who expresses interest by late March to let them know if they have been selected. Help us make babies’ potential a national priority by sharing with your networks! Stay tuned for many more opportunities to urge your policymakers to Think Babies & Act! Now Open: Register for Annual Literacy Academy​Registration is Now Open: Ohio Early Childhood Conference​ Registration is now open for the Ohio Association for Educating Young Children's (OAEYC) Ohio Early Childhood Conference April 23 - 25 at Kalahari Resorts in Sandusky, Ohio. During the conference, you will have the opportunity to connect with fellow early childhood professionals and experts, attend learning sessions, receive professional development credits, enjoy the resort's amenities, and so much more! In addition to all of the great learning experiences and networking opportunities during the conference, you will not want to miss the keynote speakers ! The keynote speakers include: Deshauna Barber - Miss America, Captain in the U.S. Army and Diversity Champion Gerry Brooks - YouTube Star and Educational Leader Greg & Steve - Music Legends Steve Gross - Chief Playmaker, Life is Good Registration rates increase on February 22nd - so be sure to register soon! Also, Groundwork will be in attendance during the conference - please stop by and say hi! Register for the Conference

Earlier this week, CNN and the Des Moines Register hosted the 7th Democratic Debate in Iowa. Only six Democratic presidential candidates made the cut for the debate – Former Vice President Joe Biden, Mayor Pete Buttigieg, Senator Elizabeth Warren, Senator Bernie Sanders, Senator Amy Klobuchar, and Tom Steyer. As you may already know, there has been a large, nationwide push from early childhood advocates to encourage moderators to include early childhood topics in the debates. In the past debates, we have joined early childhood advocates during Twitter chats before and during each debate encouraging moderators and candidates to discuss early childhood issues. Good news – it finally paid off! During Tuesday’s debate Moderator Brianne Pfannenstiel (Chief Politics Reporter at the Des Moines Register) asked candidates where they stood on child care and they answered. Watch the debate clip to hear how they plan to address early childhood issues . Thank you to everyone who participated in the Twitter chats before and during each debate! While we were excited to hear the candidates talk about child care, the conversation does not stop here. Please continue your efforts to make early childhood a priority in the upcoming election! Strolling Thunder is Back!​ On May 5, babies & families from all 50 states & the District of Columbia will descend on Capitol Hill for ZERO TO THREE’s annual national Strolling Thunder event! The families will meet with their Members of Congress to remind them to invest in their youngest constituents. We need your help! Do you know a family from Ohio with a paid leave and/or child care story who would be excited to travel to Washington, DC with their baby or toddler to urge Congress to be champions for babies? There is no experience necessary & ZERO TO THREE will cover all travel costs for a parent, their children under age three, & an adult travel companion to assist with child care. They’ll also provide guidance, training, & support to families before, during & after their trip. If you know a family who may be interested (with an emphasis on families from Congressmen Wenstrup, Stivers or Latta's districts), please have them fill out this interest form by Friday, February 7: http://bit.ly/35ENz2k . If you or they have any questions, please read ZERO TO THREE’s FAQ or feel free to contact policycenter@zerotothree.org . ZERO TO THREE will follow up with everyone who expresses interest by late March to let them know if they have been selected. Help us make babies’ potential a national priority by sharing with your networks! Stay tuned for many more opportunities to urge your policymakers to Think Babies & Act! Now Open: Register for Annual Literacy Academy​ Registration is now open for the Ohio Department of Education's annual Literacy Academy on February 19-20 at the Hyatt Renency Columbus. The Academy provides districts, schools, and early childhood providers with an opportunity to learn how they can promote and improve early literacy with the goal of raising literacy achievement. In addition to professional development and learning, attendees will also have many opportunities to network with peers. Register for Literacy Academy New Podcast on Early Brain Development​ The Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University recently announced a new podcast series focused on the importance of healthy brain development during a child’s early years. The podcast, The Brain Architects, released its first episode this week titled “Brain Architecture: Laying the Foundation.” In this week’s episode, panelists Dr. Jack Shonkoff, Dr. Pia Rebello Britto, Dr. Judy Cameron, and Debbie LeeKeenan discuss why early childhood and its experience is important for brain development and how these experiences and connections affect a child’s future health and outcomes. Listen to the Podcast . National Home Visiting Summit Free Live Stream Did you want to go to The Ounce of Prevention Fund's National Home Visiting Summit (January 29-31) but are unable to attend in person? No worries - the Ounce will be live streaming all of the plenaries during the Summit! The Summit will convene early childhood leaders, advocates, practitioners and decision makers in Washington D.C. to advance evidence-based home visiting as a powerful tool to improve child and family outcomes. During the Summit, there are four plenary sessions that you will not want to miss: Maternal Care to 5—Systems Changes Supporting the MotherBaby - January 30th from 8:30 - 9:45 AM Home Visiting Workforce Development During Rapid Scale-Up: Lessons from Other Countries - January 30th from 12:15 - 1:30 PM Fulfilling the Promise and Meeting the Challenge of Home Visiting: What Do Families and Home Visitors Need? - January 31st from 8:30 - 9:45 AM The Role of Home Visiting in Building Comprehensive Early Childhood Prevention Systems to Promote Population-Based Outcomes - January 31st from 12:00 - 1:15 PM Don't miss out on these great sessions - register today for the (free) live stream ! Registration is Now Open: Ohio Early Childhood Conference​ Registration is now open for the Ohio Association for Educating Young Children's (OAEYC) Ohio Early Childhood Conference April 23 - 25 at Kalahari Resorts in Sandusky, Ohio. During the conference, you will have the opportunity to connect with fellow early childhood professionals and experts, attend learning sessions, receive professional development credits, enjoy the resort's amenities, and so much more! In addition to all of the great learning experiences and networking opportunities during the conference, you will not want to miss the keynote speakers ! The keynote speakers include: Deshauna Barber - Miss America, Captain in the U.S. Army and Diversity Champion Gerry Brooks - YouTube Star and Educational Leader Greg & Steve - Music Legends Steve Gross - Chief Playmaker, Life is Good Registration rates increase on February 22nd - so be sure to register soon! Also, Groundwork will be in attendance during the conference - please stop by and say hi! Register for the Conference New 2020 Census Community Outreach Funding Opportunity​ The Columbus Counts: 2020 Census Grants application is live! Mayor Andrew Ginther is providing funding to support local, community-based organizations in getting out the 2020 Census count in Columbus and Franklin County. The City's goal is to ensure every resident in Columbus and Franklin County is counted, especially individuals from traditionally HTC communities. This funding will be distributed through a mini-grant process administered by the United Way of Central Ohio. Each organization will receive a grant to implement Census activities that educate and organize their HTC community around the Census. Applications are due by January 27 at 12pm. Applicant organizations are to be local community organizations (non-profits are preferred; for-profit entities with significant community experience will be considered on a case by case basis). The program accepts grant requests up to $7,500. For technical support, please email reporting.help@uwcentralohio.org . Apply Now

This week, Groundwork attended and provided testimony at the Foster Care Forum in Columbus hosted by Governor DeWine's Children Services Transformation Advisory Council . The Foster Care Forum provided foster care youth, parents, advocates, agencies and others involved in the foster care system with the opportunity to provide feedback and stories to aid the Council as they develop their policy recommendations for foster care reform in Ohio. "The state of Ohio must be visionary in its leadership when considering the transformation of the foster care system," said Lynanne Gutierrez, Policy Director and Legal Counsel for Groundwork Ohio. "Our systems and the children we serve face many crises and we, for good reason, spend a lot of time and resources focusing on the crisis itself and a response to that snapshot in time for the child and their family. If we are going to be truly transformative, however, we must not only acknowledge and respond to the crisis moments but shift our mindset to how we prevent crisis altogether and focus on the outcomes we desire for all kids in our community." Read the Full Testimony Groundwork Kicks Off New Year with New Advisory Committee​ We recently announced our new Groundwork Advisory Committee Members, but we wanted to make sure you did not miss our recent announcement because we are so excited to have such a great group of new and returning Members! These Members are trusted to provide insights on the needs of young children and families in Ohio and advance Groundwork’s mission to champion high-quality early learning and healthy development strategies. The Committee members listed below have a total of 779 years in combined experience and represent 62 Ohio counties. Congratulations to all of our new and returning members! We are excited to start the new year with this strong, passionate, and diverse group of early learning and health experts. Check Out Our New Advisory Committee Ohio Makes Headlines for its Significant Increase in Uninsured Children Under the Age of 6​ Once again, Ohio and Groundwork made headlines this week in response to the recent Georgetown University Center for Children and Families report, " Nation's Youngest Children Lose Health Coverage at an Alarming Rate. " The report shows that nationwide, the rate of uninsured children under the age of 6 has significantly increased since 2016. This increase comes as a surprise after years of steady decrease in the number of children who are uninsured. In this week's Columbus Dispatch article , Groundwork Executive Director Shannon Jones commented on how Ohio needs to take the steps necessary to ensure that no child under the age of 6 goes uninsured during one of the most important times of a child's development. Read the Dispatch Article Now Open: RFP for Quality Infrastructure Grants​ As you will recall during our state budget process earlier this year, we were able to secure $10 million in Quality Infrastructure Grants to go to local communities to ensure that we continue to make progress and deliver upon our statutory mandates around quality (all programs must be a 1-star by June 2020 and highly rated, 3-5 star by 2025). As a member of the Early Childhood Advisory Council, Groundwork was able to participate in the committee that helped mold the Request for Grant Applications (RFGA) writing process. Read the full press release from the Ohio Department of Job & Family Services. The RFGA is now available for stakeholders to apply . Thank you once again to all the incredible advocates who supported Groundwork's efforts with meetings, calls, postcards, and testimony to ensure this funding opportunity was included in the FY20-21 budget! Let's Make Young Children a Top Priority for the Presidential Candidates...​ As you may know, the 7th Democratic primary debate is next Tuesday, January 14th from 9 PM - 11 PM EST. Similar to previous debates, Groundwork will participate in a Twitter chat and debate “watch party” where we’ll be live-tweeting about children’s issues. As we work to put the early learning and healthy development of Ohio’s youngest children front and center for local, state, and federal policymakers, this is a great opportunity to elevate these issues and get the candidates focusing on young children! Here’s how you can get involved individually or on behalf of an organization Post about early childhood issues on social media in advance of the debate... and be sure to tag the moderators and candidates to grab their attention. Watch the debate live on CNN (or stream it on CNN.com) on Tuesday, January 14th and post any comments or quotes related to issues facing young children--just be sure to tag the candidates and use the hashtags #DemDebate and #WeCareDebate! (A list of candidate Twitter handles is available below) Media Hosts: @CNN @DMRegister Moderators: @wolfblitzer @abbydphillip @brianneDMR Qualified Candidates (as of January 9th): @JoeBiden @BernieSanders @ewarren @amyklobuchar @PeteButtigieg We hope you’ll join us in engaging in and following along on Twitter during debate coverage! Registration is Now Open: Ohio Early Childhood Conference​ Registration is now open for the Ohio Association for Educating Young Children's (OAEYC) Ohio Early Childhood Conference April 23 - 25 at Kalahari Resorts in Sandusky, Ohio. During the conference, you will have the opportunity to connect with fellow early childhood professionals and experts, attend learning sessions, receive professional development credits, enjoy the resort's amenities, and so much more! In addition to all of the great learning experiences and networking opportunities during the conference, you will not want to miss the keynote speakers ! The keynote speakers include: Deshauna Barber - Miss America, Captain in the U.S. Army and Diversity Champion Gerry Brooks - YouTube Star and Educational Leader Greg & Steve - Music Legends Steve Gross - Chief Playmaker, Life is Good Registration rates increase on February 22nd - so be sure to register soon! Also, Groundwork will be in attendance during the conference - please stop by and say hi! While you are waiting for the conference, you are also invited to attend the OAEYC Power to the Profession Network conference call on January 17th from 1 - 3 pm! The conference call is for early childhood educators to connect and provide insight on how early educators can amplify their voices to bring awareness of the issues faced in the profession and to provide support to fellow early educators. There is no cost to participate in the conference call. Register for the conference call here . Register for the Conference State Library of Ohio Releases New Interactive Tool for Families with Young Children The State Library of Ohio recently announced the launch of the Day By Day Ohio Family Literacy Calendar website by the State Library of Ohio. Day By Day Ohio is a tool that families, caregivers, educators, and librarians can use at home, at the library, on the go, and in the classroom. With a perpetual calendar featuring songs, activities, book suggestions, and videos, Day By Day Ohio offers resources to further develop early literacy skills that help young children prepare for, and to do better in, school. Children enjoy fun, positive learning experiences like Day by Day Ohio that support school success and, ultimately, lifelong learning. Day by Day Ohio is a service of the State Library of Ohio and is funded in part by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services. Images from Library Mouse and Library Mouse: A Friend's Tale © Daniel Kirk are used with permission for the Day By Day Ohio website only. Learn More Opportunity to Advocate for Young Children in Washington D.C.​ Child Care Aware of America is offering family advocates an opportunity to fly to Washington D.C. to attend their annual symposium on Monday, May 4 through Wednesday, May 6th. During the symposium, family advocates will have the opportunity to network with fellow family advocates and early childhood professionals, build advocacy skills, and meet with lawmakers. Child Care Aware of America will provide selected family advocates with scholarships to cover travel, room, and board. The scholarship application is open until next Friday, January 17th. Applications will go through a review panel and will announce selected applicants in late January. If you would like to apply for a scholarship or know of anyone who would be interested in applying, please reach out to your local child care resource and referral agency or the Ohio Child Care Resource and Referral Association (OCCRRA) for more information or email FamilyEngagement@usa.childcareaware.org with any questions. New 2020 Census Community Outreach Funding Opportunity​ The Columbus Counts: 2020 Census Grants application is live! Mayor Andrew Ginther is providing funding to support local, community-based organizations in getting out the 2020 Census count in Columbus and Franklin County. The City's goal is to ensure every resident in Columbus and Franklin County is counted, especially individuals from traditionally HTC communities. This funding will be distributed through a mini-grant process administered by the United Way of Central Ohio. Each organization will receive a grant to implement Census activities that educate and organize their HTC community around the Census. Applications are due by January 27 at 12pm. Applicant organizations are to be local community organizations (non-profits are preferred; for-profit entities with significant community experience will be considered on a case by case basis). The program accepts grant requests up to $7,500. For technical support, please email reporting.help@uwcentralohio.org . Apply Now

This fall, we opened applications for Groundwork's Advisory Committee. Members of the Advisory Committee are trusted to provide insights on the needs of young children and families in Ohio and advance Groundwork’s mission to champion high-quality early learning and healthy development strategies. After receiving an overwhelming (but exciting) response of applicants for the Committee, we are happy to announce our 2020 Advisory Committee members! The Committee members listed below have a total of 779 years in combined experience and represent 62 Ohio counties. Melissa Bacon, Government Affairs and Stakeholder Engagement, Office of Policy at OCALI Pat Bebo, Assistant Director, Family and Consumer Sciences at The Ohio State University Extension Dawn Blalock, Operations Manager at Little Miracles EDC Tiffany Blumhorst, Assistant Director at the Ohio Child Care Resource & Referral Association (OCCRRA) Laura DiCola, Early Childhood Strategy Leader at Summit Education Initiative (SEI) Rebekah Dorman, Director at Invest in Children Cuyahoga County Mary Fiala, Superintendent of Schools at the Catholic Diocese of Youngstown Justin Fogt, Clinical Supervisor for Healthy Families America at The Center for Family Safety and Healing, Nationwide Children's Hospital Twinkle French Schottke, President at the Ohio Association for Infant Mental Health (OAIMH); Co-founder, infant mental health specialist and program director at Moms2B Vanessa Freytag, President & CEO at 4C for Children Lisa Garofalo, Executive Board Member at Southwest Ohio Association for the Education of Young Children (SWOAEYC) Patricia Gleason, CEO at Cincinnati Early Learning Centers (CELC) George Goddard, ECE Division Director at Corporation for Ohio Appalachian Development (COAD) Rozlyn Grant, Director of Curriculum and Instruction for Early Learning at the Centers for Families and Children Lisa Gray, President at Ohio Excels Connie Griffith, Parent Ambassador Mentor/Policy Council Chairperson at Harctus Head Start Michael Harlow, Ohio State Director at Council for a Strong America Barbara Haxton, Executive Director at The Ohio Head Start Association, Inc. Carol Haynes, Owner/Administrator at Kiddie Academy of Reynoldsburg Claudia Herrold, Senior Vice President of Communications & Public Policy at Philanthropy Ohio Eric Karolak, CEO at Action for Children Katie Kelly, Executive Director at PRE4CLE Sarah Kincaid, Director of Policy and Advocacy at Ohio Children's Hospital Association (OCHA) Robyn Lightcap, Executive Director at Learn to Earn Dayton/Dayton-Montgomery County Preschool Promise Erin Lucas, Early Childhood Programs Director at Hopewell Health Centers, Inc. Leshia Lyman, Vice President of Success By 6 & Area Communities at United Way of Greater Cincinnati Renuka Mayadev, AVP Community Impact Education at United Way of Central Ohio Ashon McKenzie, Director of Strategic Initiatives at CelebrateOne Mike Moroski, Policy & Partnership Manager at Cradle Cincinnati; Board of Education Member at Cincinnati Public Schools Tracy Najera, Executive Director at Children's Defense Fund-Ohio Misti Norman, Owner/Director at Heavenly Kids Center for Learning Emia Oppenheim, Early Childhood Nutrition Consultant and President of Oppenheim Consulting, LLC Wilbert Owens, Owner at Our Kidz Early Childhood Center Will Petrik, Budget Researcher at Policy Matters Ohio Mary Ann Rody, Executive Director at the Ohio Association for Child Care Providers (OACCP) Sherry Roush, Mentor at Toledo Public Schools Early Childhood Program Thomas Seddon, Chief Development Officer at Warren County Foundation Adam Shank, Executive Director at Boys & Girls Clubs Ohio Alliance Margaret (Peg) Tazewell, Executive Director at Knox County Head Start, Inc. Dr. Jonathan Thackeray, Chief Medical Community Health Officer at Dayton Children's Hospital Kimberly Tice, Executive Director at the Ohio Association for the Education of Young Children (Ohio AEYC) Judith VanGinkel, President at Every Child Succeeds Congratulations to all of our new and returning members! We are excited to start the new year with this strong, passionate, and diverse group of early learning and health experts. Applications Are Now Closed! ​ The Early Childhood Leadership Fellowship application is now closed. However, we are pleased to announce that we had a great turnout of applicants from all over the state representing many different early childhood professions! Over the next two weeks, we will reach out to applicants to offer fellowship positions. Stay tuned for an official announcement of the 2020 Early Childhood Leadership Fellowship Cohort! For more information on the Fellowship, please visit: www.groundworkohio.org/fellowship . Now Open: RFP for Quality Infrastructure Grants​ As you will recall during our state budget process earlier this year, we were able to secure $10 million in Quality Infrastructure Grants to go to local communities to ensure that we continue to make progress and deliver upon our statutory mandates around quality (all programs must be a 1-star by June 2020 and highly rated, 3-5 star by 2025). As a member of the Early Childhood Advisory Council, Groundwork was able to participate in the committee that helped mold the Request for Grant Applications (RFGA) writing process. Read the full press release from the Ohio Department of Job & Family Services .The RFGA is now available for stakeholders to apply . Thank you once again to all the incredible advocates who supported Groundwork's efforts with meetings, calls, postcards, and testimony to ensure this funding opportunity was included in the FY20-21 budget! Governor DeWine Invests in Child Safety Programs​ Recently, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine's Office of Children's Initiatives announced $400,000 spanning 22 counties to help educate low-income families on infant and toddler safety and healthy development to reduce infant mortality and poor health outcomes. These education programs will educate parents on infant safe sleep practices, car seat installation, and infant early childhood development and nutrition. The grants will be awarded for the Early Childhood Safety Initiative pilot project and administered by the Ohio Children's Trust Fund in conjunction with the Ohio Department of Health. After families complete the training, families will be eligible to receive safety-related support items such as cribs, strollers, car seats, safety monitors, etc. Read the full press release here . Ohio Census Advocacy Coalition Receives Funding to Support Local Organizations During Census​ The Ohio Census Advocacy Coalition (OCAC) was recently awarded funding from The George Gund Foundation and The Cleveland Foundation to support community outreach during the 2020 Census. This funding will go towards mini-grants for local, community-based organizations to support a full count during the Census. This week, OCAC hosted a webinar on how the mini-grants will work. The webinar recording and slides are now available to access. The grants are available for regional lead and regional partners and are due by Friday, January 10th at 5 pm. To learn more about the grants, please view this FAQ document or email CDF-Ohio at cdfohio@childrensdefensefund.org and put "OCAC grants" in the email subject line

As the year (and decade) comes to an end, we can't help but reflect on all the exciting things that happened in 2019 at Groundwork. We are so grateful to have a fantastic group of advocates (like you!) who have helped us this past year to advance early childhood policies. While 2019 is almost over, we do have a lot of exciting things planned for 2020. But first, check out some of our biggest highlights from 2019 and join us in celebrating a great year! Moving on Up This year we were excited to add two new staff members to our team and expand our capacity substantially. Now, we are a small (but mighty) team of five! Due to our recent team expansion, we were bursting at the seams and moved to a new, larger office space. The office also came with a fantastic bonus: easily accessible parking! We hope you'll come visit us soon and meet our new team members ! New Investments in Young Children for FY20-21 In July, Governor Mike DeWine signed the FY 20-21 budget bill, which garnered unprecedented bipartisan focus on early learning and healthy development investments to support 0-5-year-olds in Ohio. The budget included new funding for evidence-based home visiting, child welfare, child care quality infrastructure grants, early literacy, Part-C Early Intervention, and so much more. Check out the details in our Budget Impact Report . Elevating the Voices of Ohio's Early Educators In addition to parents and caregivers, early educators play a significant role in the early development of many young children. This is why we have invested in delving deeper into research and policies focused on the early education workforce to see how we can better support early educators and, in turn, the children they serve. Recently, we released a fact sheet that provides an overview of the issues early educators face . We know this only scratches the surface of the challenges facing our early education workforce and look forward to releasing a much larger report early in 2020... be on the lookout! Advancing Conversations Around Race and Rural Equity Groundwork spent the past year traveling all over the state to present the findings included in our Race & Rural Equity Report . During these presentations, we collected feedback from participants through surveys and video recordings on what they see as the biggest challenges for children and families in their communities and in their professions. At the beginning of 2020, we plan to report our findings, but for now, please watch and share our new videos ! These videos are a collection of stories from early education professionals about what it means to be in the early childhood education field and how we can better support the families they serve. Connecting YOU with Key Decision-Makers Throughout the year, we have provided training, technical support, and opportunities for you to engage with Ohio's policymakers, including the Laying the Groundwork Summit, which brought together nearly 300 stakeholders at the Statehouse. This spring, we also created an interactive toolkit with instructions on how to connect with policymakers. This toolkit provides a simple guide on how to engage with state and local leaders through meetings, program site visits, letters, op-eds, and social media. If you haven't already, check out the toolkit here ! Thank you to everyone who has supported our work in ways both big and small over the course of 2019! This work wouldn't have been possible without you. Now Open: RFP for Quality Infrastructure Grants​ As you will recall during our state budget process earlier this year, we were able to secure $10 million in Quality Infrastructure Grants to go to local communities to ensure that we continue to make progress and deliver upon our statutory mandates around quality (all programs must be a 1-star by June 2020 and highly rated, 3-5 star by 2025). As a member of the Early Childhood Advisory Council, Groundwork was able to participate in the committee that helped mold the Request for Grant Applications (RFGA) writing process. The RFGA was released late last week and is now available for stakeholders to apply . Thank you once again to all the incredible advocates who supported Groundwork's efforts with meetings, calls, postcards, and testimony to ensure this funding opportunity was included in the FY20-21 budget! Today is the LAST DAY to apply for the Early Childhood Leadership Fellowship​ Today is the last day to apply to the Early Childhood Leadership Fellowship! If you have not had a chance to submit your application for the Fellowship, please be sure to apply no later than 5 PM today. The Fellowship is offered to early education and health professionals from across the state to provide them with the opportunity to develop leadership skills, engage with thought-leaders and policymakers to advance quality early learning and health, and take steps to create state-, local-, and community-level change for young children in Ohio. Fellows will engage in a hybrid curriculum designed to build upon leadership and communications skills, expand knowledge around the landscape of Ohio’s early childhood systems, and empower participants to take on leadership roles in their communities and the early education and health professions across the state. The Fellowship will incorporate in-person sessions, expert presentations, online learning experiences, and small group regional exercises designed to drive change in local communities. By the end of the year, Fellows will have gained the knowledge and tools needed to enhance their capacity to influence healthy development and early learning policies that will improve outcomes for Ohio’s youngest children and their families Apply Now . Federal Appropriations Update After weeks of negotiations, Senate and House of Representatives negotiators reached a bipartisan agreement on FY2020 appropriations bills. ZERO TO THREE applauds a number of funding increases that will help children and families thrive. Key investments critical to babies’ healthy development include: A $550 million increase for the Child Care and Development Block Grant; An increase of $550 million for Head Start/Early Head Start (EHS), of which $100 million is set aside to expand EHS, including through EHS-Child Care Partnerships; An increase of $2 million for the Infant-Early Childhood Mental Health Grant Program; A $7 million increase for the Infant-Toddler Court Program; A $7 million increase for Part C Early Intervention; and, A $25 million increase for Preschool Development Grants Birth-Five. Read more from ZERO TO THREE . Ohio Census Advocacy Coalition Receives Funding to Support Local Organizations During Census​ The Ohio Census Advocacy Coalition (OCAC) was recently awarded funding from The George Gund Foundation and The Cleveland Foundation to support community outreach during the 2020 Census. This funding will go towards mini-grants for local, community-based organizations to support a full count during the Census. This week, OCAC hosted a webinar on how the mini-grants will work. The webinar recording and slides are now available to access. The grants are available for regional lead and regional partners and are due by Friday, January 10th at 5 pm. To learn more about the grants, please view this FAQ document or email CDF-Ohio at cdfohio@childrensdefensefund.org and put "OCAC grants" in the email subject line

This week, the Georgetown University Center for Children and Families released a report, titled " Nation's Youngest Children Lose Health Coverage at an Alarming Rate. " The report shows that nationwide, the rate of uninsured children under the age of 6 has significantly increased since 2016. This increase comes as a surprise after years of a steady decrease in the number of children who are uninsured. In the report, Ohio is highlighted for not only having a higher uninsured rate than the national average, but also for having a substantial increase in the number of uninsured children under 6 from 2016 to 2018. Across the U.S., the national average of uninsured children under the age of 6 is 4.3%. However, in Ohio, the rate of uninsured children under the age of 6 is 5%, which amounts to 41,642 children being uninsured. The 2018 rate of uninsured children under the age of 6 is significantly higher than the 2016 rate of 3.6% (29,820 children). Due to the significant amount of brain development during the first five years of a child's life, access to affordable health care is a critical component in ensuring that children are provided with a healthy foundation. Read Our Press Release . ICYMI: Early Educators Speak Up for Children​ Groundwork spent the past year traveling the state to present the findings included in our Race & Rural Equity Report . During these presentations, we asked early education professionals about equitable outcomes and what it means to the children they serve. Watch the video we created for you to hear first-hand from these early education professionals on how we can provide equitable outcomes for children. Watch the Video . Extended Application Deadline for the Early Childhood Leadership Fellowship​ The deadline to apply to the Early Childhood Leadership Fellowship has been extended to 5PM on December 20th. If you have not had a chance to submit your application for the Fellowship, you have one more week before the application closes! Beginning in 2020, early education and health professionals from across the state will have the opportunity to develop leadership skills, engage with thought-leaders and policymakers to advance quality early learning and health, and take steps to create state-, local-, and community-level change for young children in Ohio. Fellows will engage in a hybrid curriculum designed to build upon leadership and communications skills, expand knowledge around the landscape of Ohio’s early childhood systems, and empower participants to take on leadership roles in their communities and the early education and health professions across the state. The Fellowship will incorporate in-person sessions, expert presentations, online learning experiences, and small group regional exercises designed to drive change in local communities. By the end of the year, Fellows will have gained the knowledge and tools needed to enhance their capacity to influence healthy development and early learning policies that will improve outcomes for Ohio’s youngest children and their families. Applications must be submitted by 5 PM on December 20, 2019. Do you know someone who would be a great fit for the Fellowship? Please be sure to share the Fellowship with them! Apply Now . Ohio Census Advocacy Coalition Receives Funding to Support Local Organizations During Census The Ohio Census Advocacy Coalition (OCAC) was recently awarded funding from The George Gund Foundation and The Cleveland Foundation to support community outreach during the 2020 Census. This funding will go towards mini-grants for local, community-based organizations to support a full count during the Census. If your organization would like to be considered for a mini-grant, please tune into the OCAC webinar on Wednesday, December 18th from 11 am - 12 pm. In order to participate in the webinar, you will need to RSVP by no later than 5 pm on Monday, December 16th. Additionally, WE COUNT! Early Childhood Census Campaign created a toolkit in 15 different languages to provide organizations and individuals with helpful tips and tricks when encouraging families with children under the age of 5 to participated in the 2020 Census. The toolkit is available for $150 and must be ordered by today, December 13th. Click here to read more about the toolkit . Groundwork Steering Committee Looks Ahead to 2020​ On Wednesday, the Groundwork Ohio Steering Committee met to discuss all of the upcoming projects and events Groundwork has in the works for 2020. During the meeting, the Steering Committee expressed support around Groundwork's priorities for next year and offered ways stakeholders can be more engaged. We have a busy year ahead of us, but we are excited to move full-steam ahead to support Ohio's youngest learners and their families!