Children’s Institute is excited to introduce the first installment of the Early Link Podcast, featuring an interview with our president and CEO, Swati Adarkar. Focused on Oregon’s early learning system and the state’s new preschool program called Preschool Promise, this segment explores what’s happening as the program launches.
Preschool Promise is part of an effort to help Oregon change the trajectory for vulnerable children and families by offering free, full-day, high-quality preschool to families at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty threshold. Programs just came online last month, and Oregon now has 93 sites serving 1,300 children in 14 counties.
Children’s Institute, along with its partners, played a key role in passing the legislation in 2015 and is actively involved in looking at issues of implementation.
Swati Adarkar, president and CEO of Children’s Institute, has played a pivotal role in creating meaningful change for Oregon’s most vulnerable children. She has helped bring together public and private partners to create a groundswell of momentum around increasing investments in programs and systems spanning the prenatal through third-grade early learning continuum (P-3). Learn more about Swati.
Interview Highlights
1:09 Introducing Oregon’s preschool landscape
2:40 More than 30,000 low-income kids don’t have access to high-quality preschool
3:43 What does high-quality preschool mean?
5:35 The ongoing debate about the bachelor’s degree requirement in Preschool Promise
8:30 Alternate pathways to the BA
10:16 Professional development that links preschool and K-3
12:11 Creating continuity and quality using mixed delivery and ensuring parent choice
12:55 The role of the Kindergarten Partnership and Innovation Fund
14:47 Kindergarten classrooms have students with a wide range of skills
16:40 The need for a different approach to family engagement
17:25 The Early Works community
20:00 Preschool Promise legislation is designed to stabilize the early learning field
22:02 The long-term vision for Preschool Promise
25:00 Third grade as a predictor for high school graduation
25:20 What can early learning advocates do?
27:22 A challenging legislative year ahead whether or not Measure 97 passes
In our next segment, we’ll be talking with Ruby Takanishi about her new book, First Things First! Creating the New American Primary School.
Stay tuned!