Campbell Institute

MOVE RESEARCH TO ACTION BY PROMOTING COST-EFFECTIVE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE INVESTMENTS IN OUR YOUNGEST CHILDREN PRENATAL THROUGH THIRD GRADE.

ADVOCATING FOR KINDERGARTEN READINESS: BECAUSE THE EARLY YEARS ARE CRUCIAL FOR BRAIN DEVELOPMENT, CI FOCUSES ON ADVOCATING FOR INCREASED ACCESS TO HIGH QUALITY EARLY LEARNING PROGRAMS FOR CHILDREN FROM LOW-INCOME FAMILIES. THESE PROGRAMS INCLUDE VOLUNTARY HOME VISITING, PARENTING EDUCATION AND SUPPORTS, EARLY INTERVENTION AND EARLY CHILDHOOD SPECIAL EDUCATION, RELIEF NURSERIES, CHILD CARE, AND PRESCHOOL. CI RECOGNIZES THAT IT CANNOT ACCOMPLISH THIS GOAL ALONE, SO CI ENGAGES COMMUNITIES OF COLOR AND RURAL COMMUNITIES TO COLLABORATIVELY CREATE ADVOCACY AGENDAS AND STRATEGIES THAT REFLECT LOCAL PRIORITIES. TO HELP RAISE AWARENESS OF EARLY LEARNING ISSUES AMONG POLICYMAKERS AND THE PUBLIC, CI USES A ROBUST COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGY THAT CAPTURES THE ORGANIZATION'S EFFORTS, CONNECTS PRACTICE TO POLICY, AND USES A WIDE RANGE OF DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS TOOLS, INCLUDING VIDEOS, PODCASTS, FOUR SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS, BLOG ARTICLES, EDITORIAL STRATEGIES, AND REGULAR WEBSITE UPDATES.

SUPPORTING THIRD GRADE SUCCESS: RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THE BENEFITS OF HIGH-QUALITY EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION, BUT THOSE EARLY LEARNING GAINS WILL NOT BE SUSTAINED THROUGH THIRD GRADE WITHOUT SUPPORT FROM K-12 SCHOOLS, COMMUNITIES, AND FAMILIES. CI'S TWO EARLY WORKS SITES ARE TANGIBLE PROOF POINTS THAT HELP DEMONSTRATE TO POLICYMAKERS, EDUCATORS, FUNDERS, AND OTHERS WHAT IS POSSIBLE WHEN CHILDREN AND FAMILIES HAVE ACCESS TO A COMMUNITY SCHOOL WITH ON-SITE EARLY LEARNING AND HEALTH SUPPORTS. CI IS ALSO HELPING LOCAL COMMUNITIES DEVELOP COMPREHENSIVE PLANS TO ADDRESS THE COMPLEX SOCIAL FACTORS THAT PREVENT CHILDREN FROM READING BY THIRD GRADE. IN CI'S NEWEST INITIATIVE, EARLY SCHOOL SUCCESS, STAFF WORK CLOSELY WITH EDUCATORS, SCHOOLS, AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO ALIGN INSTRUCTION AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT BETWEEN EARLY LEARNING PROVIDERS AND ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. THE PURPOSE IS TO TRANSFORM THE EARLY LEARNING EXPERIENCE FROM PRESCHOOL THROUGH FIFTH GRADE FOR CHILDREN, FAMILIES, AND EDUCATORS.

ENSURING HEALTHY DEVELOPMENT: CI RECOGNIZES THAT HOME AND FAMILY ENVIRONMENTS, COMMUNITY AND NEIGHBORHOOD CONDITIONS, AND SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS SHAPE HEALTH RISKS AND OUTCOMES AND CAN PREDICT QUALITY OF LIFE IN LATER YEARS. THESE CONDITIONS ARE KNOWN AS THE SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH. YOUNG CHILDREN ARE ESPECIALLY SENSITIVE TO THE IMPACT OF SOCIAL CONDITIONS, PARTICULARLY IN THE EARLY YEARS. WHILE CHILDREN FROM LOW-INCOME FAMILIES TYPICALLY HAVE ACCESS TO HEALTH INSURANCE AND HEALTH CARE THROUGH MEDICAID, THEY ARE NOT NECESSARILY RECEIVING ESSENTIAL PREVENTIVE SERVICES NECESSARY TO REACH DEVELOPMENTAL MILESTONES. CI CONVENED A TECHNICAL WORK GROUP AND DEVELOPED RECOMMENDATIONS FOR A QUALITY METRIC TO INCENT OREGON'S PUBLICLY FUNDED HEALTH CARE DELIVERY SYSTEM AND ITS HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS TO BETTER ADDRESS THE HEALTH ASPECTS OF KINDERGARTEN READINESS AND BEGIN TO PROACTIVELY ADDRESS SOCIAL EMOTIONAL HEALTH FOR YOUNG CHILDREN. IN ADDITION, CI IS INVESTIGATING WHETHER MAKING STRONG CONNECTIONS BETWEEN EARLY HEALTH AND EARLY LEARNING IN ITS TWO EARLY WORKS COMMUNITIES IS AN EFFECTIVE POLICY STRATEGY TO IMPROVE CHILD AND FAMILY OUTCOMES.