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Columbus, Ohio: Groundwork applauds the critical first step taken by Governor DeWine this afternoon toward improving the outcomes of Ohio’s most vulnerable children. Groundwork, in partnership with the Ohio Children’s Hospital Association, led the successful Vote for Ohio Kids campaign, which highlighted home visiting as a top priority in its consensus agenda , to ensure that the incoming Governor would put kids at the top of the agenda. “It is clear from Governor DeWine’s very first actions upon taking the oath of office, that he is absolutely committed to laying the necessary foundation for the healthy development of young children in the state,” said Shannon Jones, Executive Director of Groundwork Ohio. “Today’s announcement confirms, yet again, his understanding that we have to follow the evidence and invest early to improve the lifelong success of all Ohio kids.” Yesterday, Groundwork announced a unique partnership with the Pritzker Children’s Initiative (PCI) to promote policies and opportunities that impact the most at-risk children -- Ohio’s babies and toddlers -- who carry the greatest burden. This grant will support efforts to serve more of these vulnerable Ohio kids, 26% of whom live below the poverty level. “As experts in the field with a broad and diverse set of stakeholders at our table, we are continuously evaluating barriers and opportunities to scaling the evidence-based interventions we know drive child outcomes,” added Jones. “We look forward to working with the administration to ensure that the Governor can deliver on his kid-centered agenda.” Groundwork Ohio is a committed, nonpartisan advocacy organization formed in 2004 that advances quality early learning and development as the most transformative strategy to improve school outcomes, increase the life-long success of Ohio’s children, and lay a strong foundation for economic prosperity in the state of Ohio. To learn more about Groundwork Ohio visit www.GroundworkOhio.org and follow us on Twitter @GroundworkOhio and Facebook, www.facebook.com/GroundworkOhio . ###

Columbus, Ohio: Groundwork Ohio today announced a unique partnership with the Pritzker Children’s Initiative (PCI) to promote prenatal-to-three issues, policies and opportunities in the state of Ohio. The work is funded by a $100,000 six-month planning grant from PCI beginning in January 2019. Upon analysis of child outcomes and child serving systems through its nationally recognized work, The Early Childhood Race & Rural Equity Report, Groundwork finds that Ohio Babies Carry the Biggest Burden . “When we zero in on 0-3-year-olds, we find that state investments in evidence-based home visiting, quality child care and other mental and physical health interventions that support a child’s healthy development do not match the need of Ohio’s at-risk babies,” said Shannon Jones, Executive Director of Groundwork. “In fact, our most vulnerable infants and toddlers are the least likely to be accessing these interventions that will position them for lifelong success.” The grant will support the planning of a strategic campaign to educate statewide policymakers and advance policies that serve vulnerable 0-3-year-olds in Ohio. Groundwork will be engaging and convening stakeholders to build a 0-3 focused consensus agenda and an accompanying education and communications plan. This work will position Groundwork Ohio to apply to PCI for an implementation grant later this year. “We are thrilled to support Groundwork and have them join in the efforts of the National Collaborative for Infants and Toddlers. Their outstanding leadership on ensuring a strong start for Ohio’s youngest children is unparalleled,” said Gerry Cobb, director of the Pritzker Children’s Initiative, a project of the J.B. and M.K. Pritzker Family Foundation. “With the attention to and commitment of Governor DeWine’s ‘ Opportunity for Every Kid ’ agenda that includes investments in evidence-based home visiting and quality child care, the time is now to double down on our commitment to young children and evaluate state policy through a 0-3 lens,” added Jones. “We are grateful for Pritzker’s confidence in Groundwork and the unique opportunity we have to build upon a unified effort to create a different future for our youngest Ohioans.” Among Groundwork’s strategic priorities in 2018 that laid the foundation for this critical work are the successful gubernatorial focused Vote for Ohio Kids campaign partnership with the Ohio Children’s Hospital Association and the Ohio Early Childhood Race and Rural Equity Report which provided a clarion call to state policymakers that Ohio must intervene earlier where gaps emerge to improve child outcomes across the lifespan. Groundwork Ohio is a committed, nonpartisan advocacy organization formed in 2004 that advances quality early learning and development as the most transformative strategy to improve school outcomes, increase the life-long success of Ohio’s children, and lay a strong foundation for economic prosperity in the state of Ohio. To learn more about Groundwork Ohio visit www.GroundworkOhio.org and follow us on Twitter @GroundworkOhio and Facebook, www.facebook.com/GroundworkOhio . The Pritzker Children’s Initiative (PCI), a project of the J.B. and M. K. Pritzker Family Foundation, is committed to building a promising future for our country by investing in and supporting solutions in early childhood development for children prenatal to age three, with a goal of every child reaching kindergarten ready to learn. ###

The new year has officially arrived and we are ready for all of the exciting opportunities 2019 will bring for Ohio's youngest learners. As we look back on our 2018 Impact Report , we know that YOUR engagement in our efforts was crucial to our success over the past year. This year, your voice is crucial to ensuring sound policy, real investment, and improved outcomes for Ohio kids--and there's no need to wait to make your voice heard! Check out our Stakeholder Engagement Checklist for quick and easy ways you can amplify our message to policy makers and community leaders across the state today. This week, Groundwork Ohio Executive Director Shannon Jones will be featured on The State of Ohio's weekly broadcast discussing the early education issues Governor-elect Mike DeWine will face in his first term. Check out the show here ! Check out our December Early Childhood Education in the News roundup for state and national news coverage on early development and early learning programs. December ECE in the News.

With the new year right around the corner, we are excited for all the great opportunities to come in 2019! Before we ring in the new year, we want to highlight some of the important resources we've shared over the past 12 months. Thank you to all of the funders and stakeholders who have helped make this year so successful. We'll see you in 2019! The case for investing in early education In an effort to spread awareness about the strong case for investing in early childhood education, Groundwork Ohio released a series of fact sheets, each focused on a different issue children and families are facing in Ohio. These fact sheets include: The Time is Now to Advance Early Learning Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and Early Learning Invest Early or Pay Later: Ohio's Early Childhood and Juvenile Justice Systems Ohio's Publicly Funded Child Care: An Essential Support for Working Families Stop the Crisis Where it Begins: Shining a Light on the Invisible Victims of Ohio's Opioid Epidemic Ohio early childhood race and rural equity Groundwork Ohio embarked on the Ohio Early Childhood Race and Rural Equity project to bring greater understanding among policymakers and stakeholders of how race and location matters to the policies, institutions, and systems that shape the future for children and families in Ohio. Our equity resources include: From the Ground Up, Unearthing Fairness for Ohio Kids (FULL REPORT) From the Ground Up Executive Summary What is Equity? How are Brains Built? Cuyahoga County Executive Summary Franklin County Executive Summary Hamilton County Executive Summary Montgomery County Executive Summary Summit County Executive Summary Appalachian Region Executive Summary Engaging with Ohio's next governor Groundwork Ohio partnered with the Ohio Children's Hospital Association to create the Vote for Ohio Kids campaign--a nonpartisan engagement effort aimed at ensuring Ohio's next governor made early education and healthcare a top priority. Groundwork's gubernatorial engagement resources include a guide for stakeholder engagement and our Vote for Ohio Kids fact sheets on Ohio's early education system: Laying a Strong Foundation for Success: A Guide for Stakeholder Engagement (Dec. 2018) Ohio's Quality Early Childhood Experiences High-Quality Child Care High-Quality Preschool Evidence-Based Home Visiting Celebrating 2018 As we wrap up 2018, the Groundwork Ohio staff is proud to look back on the collective efforts of early childhood advocates over the past year. Together, we've supported sound policy for Ohio kids, engaged in important conversations about early childhood race and rural equity, and educated gubernatorial candidates about the importance of investing in our youngest learners. Check out our Impact Report to learn more!

As the year comes to a close, we at Groundwork have finally paused to catch our collective breath and look back at the significant progress we’ve made. Over the course of the year, we have expanded our capacity to better inform policy makers, stakeholders, and the general public about sound policy to serve Ohio’s youngest children. We started 2018 with two employees and we will be entering 2019 with four—all laser focused on building Ohio’s quality early learning system. In addition, we have strengthened our relationships with key decision makers in the legislature and administration, developed new relationships with incoming policy makers, and solidified ourselves as the trusted “go-to” statewide expert resource for early childhood education with a diverse array of stakeholders. At the same time, Groundwork embarked on two bold projects in 2018: the Ohio Early Childhood Race and Rural Equity Project and the Vote for Ohio Kids Campaign . Through these strategic initiatives, we have brought a strong voice to ALL Ohio children and elevated the urgent need to invest in proven, high-quality early interventions. Simply put, our work this year has created the opportunity for real progress for Ohio’s youngest learners in the coming months and years. But we couldn’t have done this without you. We are overwhelmed with gratitude for the many passionate child advocates, early education stakeholders, and generous funders that have made this work possible. As you review the many successes included in this 2018 Impact Report , we hope you see your own handprints in the progress we’ve made for Ohio kids. Although there is still much work to be done, we are energized by your commitment and look forward to continuing this important work with you in 2019. Thank you for the trust you place in us to lead the fight for Ohio’s youngest and most vulnerable learners. With your continued enthusiastic support, we can make a real difference in our great state. Warm personal regards, Shannon Jones Executive Director Groundwork Ohio P.S. Check out the full 2018 Impact Report here. Groundwork Ohio Holiday Stakeholder Meeting This week, Groundwork hosted our annual Holiday Stakeholder Meetings to celebrate this year's successes and discuss our goals for 2019. Thanks to all of our Executive and Advisory Committee members, funders, and dedicated stakeholders who have helped make this one of the best years yet for Groundwork Ohio! On May 8, 2019 early childhood stakeholders from across the state of Ohio will come together in Columbus to bring awareness to the importance of investments in early childhood education and communicate this important information to our legislators. We need your help to make sure the importance of early education issues rings loud and clear! Learn more about advocacy day. Home-Visiting Successes Explored in New Reports America’s Child Care Deserts in 2018 New Study Calls for More Research Into Early-Childhood Teacher Preparation What Should Be Done to Battle Poverty's Impact on Learning? Ohio Will Consider Funding These Steps To the editor: Accurate census provides protection for children, families

The following blog was originally posted through the Alliance for Early Success . As a new state partner, I was thrilled to attend the Al liance for Early Success’ 2018 Partner Summit in Denver alongside Lynanne Gutierrez, Policy Director & Legal Counsel. The Partner Summit was three days chockful of inspirational and thought-provoking information and opportunities to connect with our counterparts in other states who share similar experiences, challenges, solutions and even funders. These connections and conversations came at a critical point for Groundwork Ohio, as we seek to advance the early education conversation with Ohio’s newly elected governor. Given our small (but mighty!) staff, we found the opportunities for technical assistance sessions with leading experts to be invaluable. Our conversations with GEEARS, the Georgetown Center for Children and Families and the National Governors Associationcontinue beyond the Summit and we are confident they will be integral to building our collective knowledge and capacity. We are grateful for these new relationships and hope to reciprocate this generosity to others in the network. The Summit came at a particularly critical time for us as Ohio’s incoming governor, Mike DeWine, gets ready to take office. Our strategic campaign, Vote for Ohio Kids, highlighted the importance of investing in early childhood education and health care to lay a strong foundation for every child in Ohio. Governor-Elect DeWine who campaigned on and has made specific commitments to investing in Ohio’s youngest learners. It is not by accident that we find ourselves in such an exciting position given our strategic campaign, Vote for Ohio Kids. With this new governor, however, comes an even greater responsibility for Groundwork as we strive to be a trusted resource to him and his new administration. We look forward to partnering in their success when it comes to serving Ohio’s youngest and most vulnerable children—and we’re grateful for the expertise shared with us at the Summit to do just that. Rest assured, we will continue to follow the lead of the Alliance in its commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. As I mentioned in the session “Translating Equity into Early Childhood Policy,” while we don’t yet have all the answers, Groundwork is committed to elevating the important discussion in our state and improving state policies for Ohio’s children. It was truly a highlight for both Lynanne and I to share our Ohio Early Childhood Race & Rural Equity Report and learn additional strategies to translate our report into sound public policy. We look forward to seeing how this work grows over the next year as we continue to learn from others who are bravely leading in this area. Lynanne and I returned to Ohio with a renewed commitment to the great responsibility we have to young children in our state and perhaps, most importantly, a reminder that we don’t share this burden alone. We are grateful to travel this journey alongside an inspiring community of policy experts and advocates. Shannon Jones Executive Director Groundwork Ohio

As the new year and inauguration approach, Groundwork remains steadfast in our objective to advance quality early learning and development as the most transformative strategy to improve school outcomes, increase the life-long success of Ohio’s children, and lay a strong foundation for economic prosperity in our state. Because of our unified efforts during the Vote for Ohio Kids Leadership Forum, both candidates for governor shared robust, well-reasoned plans for Ohio’s kids. Now that all of the votes have been counted, the transition is in full swing with Governor-elect Mike DeWine at the helm. In anticipation of the upcoming budget process, several stakeholders have reached out for resources to use in conversations with the incoming DeWine Administration and other key policy makers. In an effort to make this engagement quick and easy for you, Groundwork has created a Guide for Stakeholder Engagement, which includes Governor-elect DeWine's commitments to investing in early education, strong data points to support increased investments, and a checklist of ways you can get involved today ! Check out this new resource by clicking below or visiting GroundworkOhio.org/engage . Early Education Stakeholder Engagement Resource On May 8, 2019 early childhood stakeholders from across the state of Ohio will come together in Columbus to bring awareness to the importance of investments in early childhood education and communicate this important information to our legislators. We need your help to make sure the importance of early education issues rings loud and clear! Learn more about advocacy day. Washington Can’t Seem to Agree on Anything — Except Kids Why Ohio's new child care rules matter Cupp releases report on education and poverty Want a model for Ohio? Look at LeBron James’ ‘I Promise’ school

The following is the first in a series of local community highlights from Groundwork Ohio Steering Committee Members that we'll be sharing in the coming months. Universal PreK is the topic of choice these days for many in Toledo (Lucas County). With a new Mayor, Wade Kapsukiewicz, this topic has quickly risen to the top of the list of things to accomplish. Together with Toledo Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Romules Durant, Mayor Kapsukiewicz has made it clear that it is no longer time to talk about the possibilities, but time to begin planning the possibilities. In early November, Mayor Nan Whaley of Dayton, and Robin Lightcap, Executive Director of Learn to Earn Dayton and Chair of Groundwork Ohio's Executive Committee, visited Toledo to share the work of Dayton in expanding preschool options for children and families. They presented their experiences to a large group of people including elected officials, business professionals, educators, child care providers, and parents. While no solid plans have been put into place at this point, the Mayor has appointed a task force to explore options and present him with a recommendation for moving forward. Other members of this task force include Gretchen Debacker (Mayor's office), Stephanie Cihon (Promedica HealthCare), and Emily Avery (United Way of Greater Toledo), along with myself and other community representatives. It is an exciting time in Toledo. Expanding preschool options for children and families is no longer 'just an idea'. It is on its way to being a reality! Amy Allen, PhD Transformational Leader of Early Childhood and Special Election, Toledo Public Schools; Steering Committee Member, Groundwork Ohio Starting this month, Groundwork's monthly Early Childhood Education in the News update will be integrated into our weekly newsletter. At the end of each month, keep an eye out for the graphic above in your Friday e-news to access our monthly collection of news clippings. You will also be able to access the ECE in the News update on our website and via social media on the last day of the month! Check out the November of Edition of Early Childhood Education in the News On May 8, 2019 early childhood stakeholders from across the state of Ohio will come together in Columbus to bring awareness to the importance of investments in early childhood education and communicate this important information to our legislators. We need your help to make sure the importance of early education issues rings loud and clear! Join us for our 2019 Budget Advocacy Day!

This year, we are thankful for YOU--the countless parents, teachers, caregivers, providers, and advocates who work every day to make Ohio a great place for kids to grow up! As we enter this holiday season, we are filled with hope and joy by your passion and dedication to ensuring all kids have the chance to thrive. SAVE THE DATE On May 8, 2019 early childhood stakeholders from across the state of Ohio will come together in Columbus to bring awareness to the importance of investments in early childhood education and communicate this important information to our legislators. We need your help to make sure the importance of early education issues rings loud and clear! Dayton leaders share strategy for universal preschool Child-Care Subsidies Still Don't Meet Parental Needs, New Report Finds Lack Of Parental Leave, Affordable Childcare Leaves Gaping Hole In The U.S. Economy

This week, Groundwork Ohio joined the Franklin County Human Service Chamber at Action for Children's Post-Election Gathering to facilitate an election debrief and advocacy training for local child care providers. We were humbled by their passion for the children they serve and their dedication to providing the highest quality of care every single day. Throughout the coming months, we look forward to equipping more passionate parents, providers, and stakeholders with the tools they need to become effective advocates. Are YOU interested in advocating for Ohio kids? Save the date! On May 8, 2019 early childhood stakeholders from across the state will come together in Columbus to bring awareness to the importance of investments in early childhood education and communicate this important information to our legislators. We need your help to make sure the importance of early education issues rings loud and clear! Join us for our 2019 Budget Advocacy Day! The Health Policy Institute of Ohio Seeks Input on Maternal and Child Health Needs The Health Policy Institute of Ohio (HPIO) has been commissioned by the Ohio Department of Health to gather stakeholder input for the Maternal and Child Health (MCH) and Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) five-year assessments. HPIO invites you to complete an online survey to identify the greatest needs for one or more of the following five population domains in Ohio: • Maternal/women's health • Perinatal/infant health • Child health • Children with special healthcare needs • Adolescent/young adult health Click here to learn more and complete the survey. Implicit bias can affect our ability to equitably serve kids from all backgrounds. The Kirwin Institute at Ohio State University is offering a FREE online implicit bias training. Each module is divided into a short series of lessons, many taking less than 10 minutes to complete. Thanks to the Home Visiting team at the Ohio Department of Health for passing this opportunity along! Access the modules here. OPINION: These governors favor a group that didn’t vote for them: small children Home visiting helps children and parents — more families could use it Ready to learn: Toledo aims to get every child prepared for kindergarten Michael Douglas: Mike DeWine starts his dream job Overdue for Investment: State Child Care Assistance Policies 2018 Should Childhood Trauma Be Treated As A Public Health Crisis?

Over the past several months, Ohioans watched closely as Mike DeWine and Richard Cordray campaigned to be our next governor. Throughout the neck and neck race, the two candidates found common ground on what we believe is the most important issue: Ohio's youngest children. For the first time in Ohio history, both candidates made early childhood education and health a central part of their campaign platform. On Election Day, we were comforted to know that no matter who was elected, Ohio kids would win. On Tuesday, Ohio elected Mike DeWine to be our next governor... so what does this mean for Ohio kids? Governor-Elect DeWine laid out his platform for investing in early learning in his Kids Agenda and e mphasized these plans at the Vote for Ohio Kids Leadership Forum . Among other investments, Governor-Elect DeWine plans to Increase investments in Publicly Funded Child Care by $150 million over the first biennial budget. He plans to expand PFCC eligibility to 150% FPL and fully fund quality to reach Ohio’s goal of all PFCC providers entering our quality rating and improvement system by 2020 and reaching “high-quality” by 2025. Triple the number of families served by evidence-based home visiting Continue to grow Ohio's public preschool program Create a cabinet-level Director of Children’s Initiatives to coordinate children’s programs across all state agencies so they work better for the people they serve Governor-Elect DeWine has already appointed LeeAnne Cornyn as the Director of Children's Initiatives, a new cabinet-level position within the DeWine Administration. Now we're focused on the future; Ohio's biennial budget cycle is right around the corner. It's time to make sure that Governor-Elect DeWine's strong Kids Agenda becomes real gains for our littlest Ohioans! Want to help us ensure Ohio's next budget includes increased investments for Ohio's early care and education programs? Join us for our 2019 Budget Advocacy Day! SAVE THE DATE On May 8, 2019 early childhood stakeholders from across the state of Ohio will come together in Columbus to bring awareness to the importance of investments in early childhood education and communicate this important information to our legislators. We need your help to make sure the importance of early education issues rings loud and clear! Study could help explain how childhood stress contributes to anxiety, depression We Need Universal Screening For Early Childhood Development Commentary: Child care in Greater Cincinnati is a critical resource for the region’s workforce

As you may have heard, the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, with full support of the Administration, shared this week that they will be moving forward to rectify the 38 county child care rate reimbursement injustice that has impacted providers of nearly 40% of PFCC children over the past few years. These counties have been receiving lower rate reimbursements than their similar counterparts from the state, making it extremely difficult to work towards achieving quality in our rating and improvement system, Step Up to Quality. The Department of Job and Family Services plans to have this adjustment completed by December 2018. We will share more details about this transition as they come. As we celebrate this victory for child advocates across the state, we are keenly aware of the work that lies ahead of us. We hope you will continue to help elevate Groundwork's advocacy efforts by staying engaged on social media , keeping up to date on the latest early education news , and joining us to meet with legislators on May 8, 2019 at our Budget Advocacy Day ! FEATURED NEWS: Groundwork Ohio report shows too many of Ohio's youngest children are getting left behind By: Lucy May, WCPO Cincinnati CINCINNATI -- Deemiah Duskin was a couple weeks shy of her 17th birthday when she became a mom and couldn't help feeling a bit overwhelmed. So when Duskin heard about Every Child Succeeds -- a program that could provide a trained professional to visit her home and guide her on how best to raise her baby girl -- she jumped at the opportunity. "Right away we started just reading to her," Duskin said. "They said that would help with her talking and communication." Did it ever. Duskin's daughter, Kalaya, just turned 3 and has been talking like a pro since she was 2. She knows her shapes and colors and already recognizes some words. Duskin, now 20, credits Every Child Succeeds for teaching her what her daughter needed... READ MORE The Groundwork Ohio staff is ready to vote this coming Tuesday... are you? If you haven't already, be sure to confirm your polling location and check out a sample ballot before voting on November 6th! With Ohio's upcoming gubernatorial election less than a week away, it's time to ramp up the pressure on candidates Richard Cordray and Mike DeWine to make sure they make early childhood education and health care top priorities if elected. We hope you'll use the sample tweets and resources in our Election Day Media Toolkit to help elevate these issues and make sure our next governor makes early education and healthcare a top priority--no matter who wins! SAVE THE DATE On May 8, 2019 early childhood stakeholders from across the state of Ohio will come together in Columbus to bring awareness to the importance of investments in early childhood education and communicate this important information to our legislators. We need your help to make sure the importance of early education issues rings loud and clear! Groundwork Ohio report shows too many of Ohio's youngest children are getting left behind Funds received for home pregnancy visits Chamber of Commerce President: Workforce Training ‘Not Just a College Issue’ FFYF Analyzed Years of Polling and Found Unwavering Support for Greater Investment in ECE Can Conversations Strengthen Early Brain Development?