Front Burners

The pace in the Capitol has quickened as proposed cuts to children’s programs threaten to set Florida back. Children’s Campaign, Inc. is working day and night on multiple fronts to advocate for the whole range of our Promises, from maternal and children’s health, child welfare and out-of-home care, early learning, before and after school, and juvenile justice. For complete coverage, please look for our next Legislative Update, under development as we send this Front Burner today.

This Front Burner brings you up to date on the latest developments on ensuring quality pre-k experiences for Florida’s children. The issue has never been more important.

Without high quality pre-k, children will fall behind. Educational deficits that could be prevented or addressed early on will become more pronounced and more difficult and expensive to correct. Remediation – even if possible – will require services that will not be available. Children will fall through the new holes being ripped into the safety net.

Florida is falling behind the nation in the advance of pre-k. That point was made clear in the past month with the rankings put forth by the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER). Some groups in Florida are working hard to make improvements. Others are either giving lip service or throwing obstacles in the path.

Progress, inch by inch, is being made, even at a time of great budget consternation and upheaval.

So, while we keep our eyes on the budget ball on behalf of all the Promises, there is news to report about early learning developments that our readers need to know.

Degreed Pre-K Teachers: Florida Has Capacity

Degreed teachers are the cornerstone of the growing movement to provide quality pre-k experiences to Florida‘s children. In a Wednesday press release, Children’s Campaign, Inc. announced that the facts are in. Analysis of actual teacher availability numbers by the FSU Center for Prevention and Early Intervention shows that Florida can easily reach teacher capacity levels required for pre-k to be taught by a degreed teacher by the year 2013.

FSU stepped in to provide real information in the face of disinformation. Groups within the early learning industry have been telling legislators that Florida can't provide enough degreed teachers for reasons that appear more akin to protecting an outdated business model than the interest of Florida's children. The FSU study completely debunks their arguments. 

Claims that as many as 12,000 teachers will be needed are completely unfounded. This calculation is neither factually accurate nor academically generated. The FSU analysis counters that claim with solid assessments of consumer need based on actual pre-k enrollment numbers and actual teacher graduation rates at Florida colleges and universities.

It is projected by FSU that only 1,653 – 2,230 new pre-k teachers will be needed over the next five years to augment the number of degreed teachers currently in the system. During the same time period, based on current trends, more than 14,500 teachers are expected to graduate. Current trends also indicate that out-of-state programs will contribute thousands more teachers. Combined with the “working retired” who want to teach in the pre-k field part-time, there is simply no shortfall.

“Our fact based approach has found that there will be an abundance of degreed teachers to fill the need,” said Dr. Mimi Graham, director, FSU Center for Prevention and Early Intervention.

State government's Agency for Workforce Innovation needs to take the FSU study to heart.  It is time for a plan to be brought forward to improve Florida’s low quality pre-k and raise it up to national standards. The best place to start is a commitment to degreed teachers based on the real facts as analyzed by a third party with impeccable academic credentials rather than figures produced by industry groups with an agenda. 

Black Caucus Briefed

Teacher capacity and closing the achievement gap were the points of discussion during a Tuesday evening briefing of Florida's Legislative Black Caucus. The Children’s Campaign led by Linda Alexionok, Cindy Lerner, and Holland & Knight lobbyist Patricia Greene partnered with educational innovator Dr. Jennifer Porter-Smith on the presentation.

Astoundingly, African-American fifth graders score worse on key reading metrics in state tests than those children who are learning English as a second language. Dr. Porter-Smith is the Executive Director of the Nap Ford Community School in Orlando which has more than countered this trend. With nearly 100% African-American students and 80% in poverty, FCAT scores show that the Nap Ford School has closed the achievement gap in reading and had similar success in math.

Dr. Porter-Smith informed the Black Caucus that providing the most resources and best teachers to students in their earliest years were the keys to her students' success. Black Caucus members were energized by her message.

Junior College Group Endorses Vital Bills

The Florida Community College Early Childhood Network has signed on to the legislative effort to require degreed pre-k teachers. The influential organization of Florida’s junior colleges endorsed Children’s Campaign supported degreed teacher legislation (Senate Bill 702 (Rich) and House Bill 741 (Long).

This endorsement highlights yet another successful coalition building effort in support of the legislation. Last week, the Children’s Campaign mailed an informational packet to directors of NAEYC accredited pre-k programs across the state. The resulting influx of endorsements includes dozens of Florida providers and organizations. It is not too late to add your name to the list. Contact Raquel Bailey of the Children’s Campaign at rbailey@iamforkids.org to support the degreed pre-k teacher bills.

Director of Early Learning Briefed on Capacity Study

Florida Department of Education official Shan Goff met with Dr. Mimi Graham of the FSU Center on Prevention and Early Intervention, Linda Alexionok of the Children’s Campaign, and Dr. Jennifer Porter-Smith to review FSU’s teacher capacity report. The meeting sets the stage for the upcoming briefing of Education Commissioner Eric Smith. 

Future Developments

Budgetary decisions, the presentation of actual facts, and support for high quality early learning and care are making clear who’s for kids and who’s just kidding. The latest information on Capitol decisions, along with opportunities to make your voice heard, will come to you through the next edition of Children’s Campaign’s Legislative Update.

This Early Learning Front Burner is brought to you by:

Roy Miller, President

Linda Alexionok, Executive Director/UPK Director