Leveraging The Children’s Movement

Model and Strategy

This year, California ranked 38th in a national survey of children’s well-being with nearly 60% of kids eligible for free/reduced price school meals, 23% living in poverty and many graduating from high school unprepared to compete in a global workforce. In the Bay Area, one of the most affluent regions in the country, 46% of third graders are reading below proficiency level. Kids of color fare even worse, with just 32% of Latino and 32% of African American 3rd graders reading at or above proficiency. These outcomes are unacceptable. Public policy change is the most efficient and fastest way to scale innovative high-impact programs and secure the resources needed to improve early childhood outcomes for kids. Children Now created The Children’s Movement to connect parents, caregivers, youth and a diverse range of organizations to provide the advocacy power they need to shape a positive future for children and make lasting change in their lives and communities.

Impact

Employing their research, policy, and advocacy expertise.

Leveraging trusted relationships with local and state policymakers to reach the right decision makers.

Using their unique position as the only whole-child/umbrella children’s organization to bring hundreds of stakeholders on board.

Developing simple, effective Pro-Kid messaging.

Mobilizing the network at the right times.

This coordinated collection of diverse groups will effectively engage in state and local advocacy activities to support quality early childhood programs. The long-term project goal is to improve outcomes for the estimated 346,800 children in the Bay Area that aren’t reading at proficient or higher by 3rd grade.

Children Now