Affecting Legislation on Behalf of Our Children

Influencing public policy is an important and effective way of giving our children the opportunities they deserve. Collaborative for Children strengthens the early care and education system through policy development and advocacy.

• Develop a state plan for improving early care and education
• Forge community partnerships that maximize the cost-effectiveness of existing early education and care resources
• Increase the investment in early education
• Strengthen regulations and standards for early education

As a member of the Texas Early Childhood Education Coalition (TECEC) and the local One Voice collaboration, Collaborative for Children is working with our partners in the Greater Houston area to identify opportunities and obstacles to expanding access to high quality early care and education. We are also working to develop strategies for engaging the public and policymakers.
The 81st Legislature ended May 31, 2009, and early childhood advocates gained support among legislators for important policy priorities below:

• Despite significant bipartisan support for full-day, high-quality pre-kindergarten programs in passing HB 130 in the Legislature, the measure was vetoed by the Governor. Nonetheless, important new funding, $25 million for the biennium, was authorized by the Legislature and Governor for expanding access to full-day pre-kindergarten through the state's Early Start grant program.
• A bill to increase reimbursement rates paid to child care programs that serve children whose parents cannot afford quality care failed to pass, but there is interest in studying the issue during the interim between sessions.
• Legislators appropriated funding to maintain the state's integrated school readiness model and other quality improvement initiatives for early education through the State Center for Early Childhood Development at the University of Texas Health Science Center.
• New legislation will require the state to notify parents of eligible children about the availability of pre-kindergarten programs.
• The state now requires that information be provided to parents of newborn children about health, safety and child development.

Find out more about our partners in public policy.