Alliance grantees work independently or in collaboration on a number of initiatives in the areas of research, policy and advocacy. Click below to learn more about Alliance funded work by national organizations.

Build manages the National Learning Network (NLN), a coalition of states and national organizations works to advance Quality Rating and Improvement Systems (QRIS) as a policy lever for early care and education system reform. BUILD staffs and supports the activities of the NLN, including customized technical assistance to Alliance sates, expansion of NLN web-based resources, a series of webinars on QRIS related issues, and an on-line learning table for states on early learning topics.  The Alliance is a partner with BUILD as they co-lead the Early Learning Challenge Collaborative this year. Build will provide Rapid Response for implementation of the Early Learning Challenge.

The Data Quality Campaign (DQC) conducts a 50-state survey of state ECE data systems.  They are a founding member of the Early Childhood Data Collaborative (ECDC), a partnership of seven organizations: CSCCE, Child Trends, CCSSO, DQC, NCSL, NGA, and Pre-K Now, a campaign of the Pew Center on the States.  The ECDC supports the development and use of coordinated state early care and education data systems to improve the quality of programs and the workforce, increase access to high-quality ECE programs, and ultimately improve child outcomes.

The Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP) is publishing and disseminating a “101 Resource Guide” to help state policymakers and advocates maximize existing funding steams to finance a comprehensive early childhood system.  Additional work focuses on state Early Head Start initiatives and other state efforts to improve infant and toddler care, home visiting, child care subsidy, and licensing.  In partnership with ZERO TO THREE, they will host a state policy action team meeting focused on home visiting policies for five states. CLASP receives multiple requests for Rapid Response and the Project Director will devote thirty-three percent of her time to meeting these requests.

The Center for the Study of Child Care Employment (CSCCE) is continuing its work to integrate workforce data with child-level data, early childhood program data, and K-12 data.  They focus on the alignment of three cross-state workforce data systems (NACCRRA, TNRA, and TEACH).  In previous years there was agreement on standard definitions of essential data elements, standard data verification procedures, and a common participant ID number.  This year CSCCE is disseminating and piloting this work in select states.  CSCCE provides Rapid Response on workforce policy issues, and is a member of the Early Childhood Data Collaborative.

The Center on the Developing Child (the Center) leads the Early Childhood Innovation Project in collaboration with NGA, NCSL, and TruePoint, a multi-faceted campaign focused on developing and testing new strategies at the intervention level, as well as the state policy and practice levels.  States including Washington will test new policy and practice ideas and community sites will be selected from across the country to experiment with intervention strategies.  Both aim to show improved outcomes for young children in early learning and health, specifically focused on skills related to executive function. The ECIP will convene researchers, policymakers and practitioners at an annual meeting in May and continue to foster an online community.

Child Trends synthesizes research on priority policy topics and provides research-based consultation so advocates and champions can make the case for targeted new investments and/or fight budget cuts.  They share research with national and state media outlets and will continue the Early Childhood Highlights series, which gives a snapshot of the latest early childhood research.  Child Trends joins the Early Childhood Data Collaborative (ECDC) this year. They provide Rapid Response through communications that translate the research for advocates, the media, and policymakers.

The Committee for Economic Development (CED) works with the Mississippi Economic Council to build and strengthen the foundation for future early childhood advocacy.  In New Mexico they partner with the New Mexico Business Roundtable and will create a 5-minute video showcasing business leader support for investments in early childhood.  The video will kick off a series of meetings with business leaders and government officials around the state.  CED provides Rapid Response to engage business leaders to support early childhood policy recommendations.

The Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) convenes the Chief’s Early Childhood Task Force and focuses on expanding the leadership capacity of Chiefs and their deputies by including sessions at CCSSO meetings, preparing briefing materials focused on financing and effective investment, and providing rapid response.  CCSSO will continue to participate in the Early Childhood Data Collaborative (ECDC), with a particular focus on school readiness assessments and on improving federal agency support for coordinated ECE data systems.  The Project Director will devote 10% of his time to provide Rapid Response.

The Council for a Strong America (CSA) is in the second year of a two-year grant, building the leadership of law enforcement, retired military leaders, and evangelical pastors.  They conduct research and produce state-specific briefs on key issues such as home visiting.  Fight Crime: Invest in Kids continue work in Illinois, Michigan, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oregon, and Washington.  Mission: Readiness continues work in Mississippi.  This year, CSA is launching Shepherding the Next Generation in Mississippi.  CSA receives multiple requests for Rapid Response and is devoting 30% of their time to mobilize its messengers through speaking engagements, op-eds, and letters to the editor.

The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) receives support to continue the Early Childhood Workforce Systems Initiative, which assists states in implementing policies for an integrated early childhood professional development system. The fifth national summit will convene state teams to enhance state policies on professional development.  The state policy database, which provides language of state early childhood policies organized in six essential policy areas, will continue to be updated.  Four focus groups will convene to inform the policies that guide the development of state TA systems, resulting in a policy brief, planning tool, and two webinars.  NAEYC partners with NCCP on this work.  They receive multiple requests for Rapid Response and this year will devote .40 FTE to meet requests on professional development.

The National Center for Children in Poverty (NCCP) works through affiliate networks in 24 communities to improve and advance the quality of life of Black children and their families.  NBCDI is working in Milwaukee, Detroit, and Jackson, Mississippi to increase their capacity to connect with policymakers and grasstops black leaders in support of early childhood issues including health and wellness, early childhood development and education, elementary and secondary education, child welfare, and parenting. 

The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) ssists state legislators by tracking and analyzing policy, providing technical assistance including research and policy development for legislation, and publishing briefs and reports on a range of early learning and development issues including: home visiting, child care, pre-k, infrastructure issues such as governance, financing, workforce, and accountability.  They partner with the Center on the Developing Child and the NGA to identify new science-driven innovations in early childhood.  To provide more direct support for new legislators as well as those with more early childhood expertise, NCSL will host a legislative institute, webinars, and technical assistance through a new Early Learning Fellows program, designed to provide a year-long program for legislators.

The National Council of La Raza (NCLR) is building on its 2010 report, “America’s future: Latino Well-being in Numbers and Trends,” and developing a one-stop-shop of information related to Latino children. NCLR’s grant will add 10 additional indicators that are relevant for early childhood development.  NCLR is consulting with CLASP and NCCP for advice on designing a user-friendly website that makes data more accessible to policymakers.

The National Governors Association (NGA) Center for Best Practices is building governors’ capacity to develop a Birth to 3rd grade policy agenda through streamlining state governance, supporting effective state Early Childhood Advisory Councils (ECAC), promoting coordinated early childhood data system development, and improving standards and assessment.  They will convene a policy institute with governors’ policy advisors and ECAC staff as an opportunity to share best practices on these early childhood policy areas.  They are establishing a virtual learning community with governors’ policy advisors and ECACs, using conference calls and email updates that share the latest research and activities.  NGA participates in the ECDC and partners with the Center and NCSL on the Early Childhood Innovation Project.  They provide Rapid Response to governors’ staff and ECACs.

The National Women’s Law Center (NWLC) continues its annual survey of state child care administrators that tracks and analyzes trends in child care assistance policies, adding questions on pressing policy issues this year.  Many Alliance grantees participate in their annual leadership retreat on advancing child care policy.  NWLC receives multiple requests for Rapid Response and the Project Director will devote 25% of her time to meeting these requests.

The Ounce of Prevention Fund (Ounce) provides relationship-based peer consultation and support to state advocacy organizations, and facilitates the bi-annual Peer Advocate Roundtable meetings for advocates and Educare leaders from 15 states:  California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Kansas, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon, Washington, and Wisconsin.  They coordinate with Rhode Island Kids Count in Michigan, Mississippi and New Mexico and share information about state advocacy policy priorities.

Rhode Island KIDS COUNT works in Michigan, Mississippi, and New Mexico monitoring and tracking Alliance and non-Alliance funded early childhood activities to reach shared policy goals.  They also facilitate and lead activities with states who choose to work together on a birth to eight state policy agenda that links early learning with K-3 education.

ZERO TO THREE is hosting a state policy action team meeting, in collaboration with CLASP, which will bring teams from five states together to improve home visiting policies.  They will partner with NCCP on how states can provide early childhood mental health supports.  ZTT is increasing its Rapid Response time to address the requests they receive to develop and support policies for infants and toddlers. Their grant allows them to provide TA to at least seven states as well as email, phone, and conference call supports as needed.  ZTT supports early childhood professionals to become engaged in public policy through their bi-weekly Baby Monitor e-newsletter and their online Baby Matters database.