Governor Rell Creates Early Childhood

Research and Policy Council

            Governor M. Jodi Rell today signed an executive order creating a special council to support her ground-breaking initiative to best prepare Connecticut’s young children for success in school.

            The Governor’s Early Childhood Research and Policy Council, to be comprised of 31 representatives spanning the fields of business, education, charities and government, will reinforce the state’s drive to become a national model for early childhood education.

            “From the start of my administration, I have emphasized that all Connecticut children should be able to come to kindergarten ready and eager to learn,” Governor Rell said.  “One key to school readiness is the opportunity to attend a good pre-school program.  My early childhood initiative has the goal of giving each and every Connecticut youngster a genuine springboard for academic success—and for success in the workplace later on.”

            Governor Rell is charging the new council with a range of tasks designed to complement and support the work of her Early Childhood Education Cabinet, convened last year to form a strategic plan to ensure that every child in Connecticut enters school ready to learn.

“The council will be of immeasurable service to children, families and the entire state by giving the Early Childhood Education Cabinet an extra dimension of resources and support,” the Governor said.  “Essentially, the council will combine a high-level think tank approach with an action agenda on financing options.”

            To head the council, the Governor appointed Valerie Lewis, commissioner of the Department of Higher Education; David Nee, executive director of the Hamden-based William Caspar Graustein Memorial Fund; and John Rathgeber, president and chief executive officer of the Connecticut Business & Industry Association.

            The Governor’s executive order establishes the council to “engage leadership from the business, philanthropic, governmental and higher education communities with regard to early childhood strategic planning and investment partnerships.”

Specifically, the Governor’s Early Childhood Research and Policy Council will:

·        advise the Early Childhood Education Cabinet on research findings, policy solutions and strategic financing opportunities for investing in early childhood initiatives;

·        recommend ways to build and support a network of early childhood researchers across Connecticut’s education systems, including academic scholars at business and other professional schools;

·        engage Connecticut’s academic researchers in designing a study of children’s development over time, as well as reviewing existing research that evaluates early childhood programs.

·        examine, from a business perspective, possible strategies to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of Connecticut’s early care and education ‘industry’;

·        propose additional ‘return on investment’ studies necessary to evaluate and support early childhood care and education, quality improvement and expansion proposals; and

·        consult with the Early Childhood Education Cabinet in its preparation of the Connecticut Early Childhood Investment Plan, regarding expansion of high-quality early childhood services leading to the readiness of all Connecticut children upon entry to kindergarten, and in monitoring implementation of the plan.

Members of the Governor’s Early Childhood Research and Policy Council will include representatives of the Connecticut Council on Philanthropy, United Way Associations of Connecticut, Connecticut Council of Independent Colleges, Office of Workforce Competitiveness, Connecticut Development Authority, Connecticut Health and Educational Facilities Authority, Departments of Education and Higher Education, Connecticut Association of Public School Superintendents, Connecticut Association of Boards of Education, Connecticut Education Association, Connecticut Chapter of the American Federation of Teachers, Office of Policy and Management and Early Childhood Education Cabinet, as well as three municipal chief elected officials, the chairs and ranking members of the legislative Appropriations and Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committees, and business and industry representatives. 

The Early Childhood Education Cabinet was created by the Governor to advise on school readiness issues, evaluate current school readiness programs and assist in developing budget scenarios for early childhood education programs.  The cabinet is developing a multi-year strategic plan for early childhood education, expected in mid-June 2006.  In tandem with this planning effort, the new Governor’s Early Childhood Research and Policy Council will work with the cabinet on cost and funding options and recommendations.

A 2004 study by the state Commission on Children found that children who attend pre-school for two years are twice as likely as children with no pre-school experience to have the language, literacy and math skills needed to be ready for kindergarten.  Children who attend pre-school are also ten times less likely to be held back in the first grade.

To view the Governor's Executive Order, click here.