Public Policy
Our Commitment to Early Education Public Policy in Cincinnati
Cincinnati Preschool Promise (CPP) works to raise awareness of education public policy based on the experience of stakeholders, while being mindful that we are not positioned for traditional lobbying or advocacy. Our role is to contribute facts, data, and perspectives that support meaningful policies and practices that support CPP’s mission of accessibility, affordability and availability of early childhood education for every Cincinnati child.
Sustaining Momentum for Early Childhood Education Policy
The COVID-19 pandemic brought renewed national and statewide attention to early childhood education and the urgent need for robust early education public policy. As national attention shifts, action is needed to sustain momentum for policy and system changes.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has been at the forefront of driving change. Building on 50 years of experience from Head Start and Early Head Start Programs; new rules have brought a comprehensive early education strategy.
The core components of these strategies include:
- prioritizing child safety,
- addressing barriers to enrollment and attendance,
- enhanced services for expectant families,
- a renewed community assessment process,
- a diverse and well-qualified workforce,
- competitive staff wages,
- high-quality employee benefits,
- a culture of wellness that empowers staff, and
- integrated mental health supports for children, families, and staff.
The Ohio Department of Children & Youth’s new motto is “do what’s right for kids”. This commitment reflects the Department’s mission to promote positive, lifelong outcomes for Ohio youth through early intervention, quality education, and family support programs. CPP’s mission is strengthened by strong public and, private partnerships to make early learning accessible, affordable, and available for all children and families.
Partner Spotlight:
The Children’s Funding Project
Children’s Funding Project is a nonprofit social impact organization that helps communities, states, and Native nations expand equitable opportunities for children and youth through strategic public financing.
Through our hands-on technical assistance and collection of resources, CFP
- help local, state, and Native nation leaders and agency staff understand the multiple sources that fund services for children and youth;
- coach policymakers on aligning existing funds with local priorities and implementing strategies to achieve their goals for children;
- equip advocates with the skills and resources to build public and policymaker support for children and youth services and to generate new and sustainable funding sources;
- collaborate with communities, states, and Native nations to develop customized financing solutions tailored to their individual needs and goals; and
- build collective momentum toward an equitable and proactive approach to children’s funding.
This partnership helps CPP align funding strategies with local needs, empowering us to pursue sustainable preschool access for Cincinnati families. Click HERE to learn more about the Children’s Funding Project.
Partner Spotlight:
Groundwork Ohio
Groundwork Ohio is a statewide nonprofit, nonpartisan public policy, research and advocacy organization.
CPP supports the vision to make Ohio the best place to be a young child so that every child has the opportunity to reach their full potential. Groundwork champions high-quality early learning and healthy development strategies from the prenatal period to age five, that lay a strong foundation for Ohio kids, families, and communities.
Groundwork’s policy priorities of early learning & childcare, healthcare access & quality, early childhood trauma prevention, and economic stability bring a system-level approach that is needed for CPP to fulfill our mission.
Together with Groundwork Ohio, CPP advances shared goals of early learning access and child well-being—creating system-wide impact. Click HERE to learn more about Groundwork OHIO.
Partner Spotlight:
The Care Economy Organizing (CEO) Project
The Care Economy Organizing (CEO) Project is statewide grassroots organizing project focused on building power with women, especially women of color who work in the care economy. The project aims to call on the state to adequately invest in our children and their families’ futures.
The CEO Project is united in the belief that every child has a right to access affordable, quality childcare and early education. Policy goals from the CEO Project focus on expanding access to quality childcare and early learning; protecting and expanding Medicaid, SNAP and Unemployment Insurance; improving the economic security of Black childcare providers, women and low-income families, and pushing back against onerous eligibility requirements and cuts to the Safety Net programs that help sustain Ohioans in need.
CPP supports the CEO Project’s mission to uplift women in the care economy—ensuring early educators receive fair wages and families receive better care access. Click HERE to learn more about the CEO Project
Help us build a stronger early education future for Cincinnati. Contact us to learn how to support local preschool policies.
Public Policy at Cincinnati Preschool Promise: FAQs
While CPP does not engage in traditional lobbying, we support public policy by contributing research, community data, and program insights that help shape effective education legislation.
Through strategic partnerships and community-informed insights, CPP helps guide state and local leaders in developing policies that support accessible, affordable preschool for all.
By working with organizations like Groundwork Ohio and the Children’s Funding Project, CPP ensures its efforts are aligned with broader funding and equity initiatives that benefit young children and their families.