GREAT AT EIGHT: ACHIEVING A POLICY AGENDA

Ruby Takanishi Voices for Illinois Children November 8, 2012

CONGRATULATIONS!
Release of Great at Eight Policy
Framework

Comprehensive Framework for Supporting

Illinois Children

OVERVIEW
Brief commentary on the Great at Eight
Policy Framework

Moving from a Policy Framework to a

Policy Agenda

RETHINKING FAMILIES
Family economic security is clearly recognized. Family economic resources are closely related to

all of the parts of the Policy Framework. Dual-generation approaches must receive greater attention. Child AND adult development must be linked.

RETHINKING A CHILDRENS AGENDA

Must be connected to a strong family
support policy agenda

Must be connected to a family economic

security agenda

RETHINKING EDUCATION
Education is not preparation for life.
Education is life itself. John Dewey

Education begins early and never ends. Implications for a transformation in public
education

RETHINKING PUBLIC EDUCATION

Policy framework focuses on Birth to Eight. Need to move to a Birth to Death education

system, including adult learning In Illinois, the Urban Education Institute and the Ounce of Prevention are working to develop a Birth to College Public Education system, which will be an inspiration and guide for the rest of the country.

TRANSFORMING EDUCATION
Public education begins earlier, at least at
age three.

High school education must be

transformed to provide youth with more options than they now have, e.g., national service, early college.

TRANSFORMING EDUCATION
Adults must have opportunities for
continuous learning and new skills development. For young adults with young children, dual-generation strategies are needed, e.g., a new Head Start Title I funds should be directed toward early learning programs.

MOVING FROM FRAMEWORK TO SETTING THE AGENDA

Having a framework is not the same as
setting an agenda Agenda setting requires focus and priorities Involves hard choices and compromise Reallocates resources

TAKING A LONG-TERM VIEW

Tobacco prevention
The Kindergarten movement Womens suffrage and voting rights

A LUNCH ASSIGNMENT
Turn to the person to the left of you, and
ask him/her to identify three priorities from the Great at Eight Policy Framework Inform your partner what your three priorities from the Policy Framework are Do you have consensus?

WHAT IS THE SOCIAL STRATEGY?

Reaching the largest number of children
possible: Julius B. Richmond State Child Health Insurance program as one example The majority of American families and their children are not doing well.

MOVING FROM FRAMEWORK TO AGENDA FOR ACTION

BE READY TO IDENTIFY WHAT
PRIORITIES YOU WILL WORK ON OVER THE NEXT DECADE CHOSE PRIORITIES THAT AFFECT MANY BE FOCUSED AND DISCIPLINED BE SINGLE-MINDED IN THE PURSUIT OF THE AGENDA

CONCLUSION: THE LONG VIEW

How long? Not long, the arc of the moral
universe is long, but it bends towards justice. Martin Luther King, Jr., March 1965.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

www.fcd-us.org
ruby.takanishi@gmail.com