Each year, Pre-K Now produces a conference for pre-kindergarten advocates and supporters across the U.S. But, instead of making attendees travel to one central location, we produce a live television program for broadcast on satellite and the Internet and invite local communities to set up their own viewing sites, complete with pre- and post-broadcast activities if they so choose. In 2007, more than 2,000 people participated at sites in 35 states. With your help, we can create even more sites in 2008!
Interested in planning a conference viewing site? Please contact Rosalinda Ortega (rortega@preknow.org or (202) 862-9872) as soon as possible so that she can advise you on the quick steps to creating a site.
Download a conference flier that you can personalize with your viewing event's information and use to promote your event.
Listen to a recording of our training call for viewing event organizers:
Listen to a recording of our training call for local discussion leaders:
You can help us promote this year's conference and your participation in it by adding the interactive web banner below to your website. Click here to get the code for this banner.
This year's topic is "Breaking Down Barriers to Quality Pre-K." We'll feature success stories from communities where pre-k advocates are conquering common implementation challenges that can impact the quality of programs. Here are just some of the lessons and activities you can expect from the conference:
How state-funded pre-k programs can partner with home-based child care providers to make quality early learning accessible to some of the hardest to reach families. A success story from Illinois will be featured.
How early childhood programs, Head Start, and schools can collaborate to
provide all families with high-quality pre-k options. A success story from Wisconsin will be featured.
How states can build professional development systems that help pre-k teachers in all classroom settings improve their skills and advance their careers. A success story from North Carolina will be featured.
What an early childhood education agenda in the Obama administration and 111th Congress could look like and how advocates can influence it. Policy advisers to Democratic and Republican leaders will participate in a roundtable discussion.
And, how we can make the case to policymakers that these vital investments in children must be made despite the tough economic climate. A message from Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell will be featured.
Time during the broadcast will be reserved for local brainstorming and planning to apply shared lessons, discuss other challenges, and celebrate victories in your area.
We thank our national conference sponsors for their generous support!
Pre-K Now held a briefing for congressional staff, cosponsored by Sen. Hillary Clinton and Sen. Kit Bond, on October 1. Hear what a governor, three superintendents, two directors of early childhood programs, and a national teacher of the year think Congress should do to increase families' access to quality, state-funded pre-k.