Mona Lee Locke and Melinda French Gates Co-Chairs, Yolanda Cortinas-Trout, Robbin Dunn, Sheri Flies, Peter Jackson, Marty Jacobs, Mary Ellen O'Keeffe, Dee Ann Perea, Yvonne Ullas, Dee West, Kyle Yasuda, Lisa Brown, Craig Cole and Don Brunell.

Special Guests

Dave Sharp, Kris Mitchke, Shelley Baker, and Martha Craig with Bozell Worldwide

Meeting Summary

Melinda Gates opened the meeting by introducing the guests from Bozell Worldwide.

Public Engagement Campaign Update

Bozell introduced the campaign logo of a child's hand held by a caregiver. The text reads: "The Governor's Commission on Early Learning." Bozell recommends the text for two reasons: 1) it gives credit to the commission for its work and 2) easily transitions to the "Washington Early Learning Foundation."

Mona Locke asked for a vote on the logo and it was unanimously adopted.

The Bozell Team provided an overview of their proposed media ads. They include: two TV spots, two to five print ads, and two 60-second radio spots.

Each ad will include instructions for getting more information on early learning: through a local provider or the Internet.

The Bozell Team also presented a prototype of the website with a link to the "I Am Your Child" site. "I Am Your Child" has given permission for portions of their website to be incorporated into the foundation site. Guests will also be able to request the "I Am Your Child" CD-ROM through the Early Learning website.

At this time, plans are in place to print and distribute 150,000 brochures through a retail or provider partnership. Bozell is developing corporate and media partnerships to support media ad and brochure production.

The response from Commissioners to the ads was favorable with the exception of a radio ad. Lisa Brown expressed concern about references to the attractiveness of women in the "Forty-Three Minutes Old" spot. Other Commissioners agreed this ad should be retooled.

The ad campaign was approved with changes to the "Forty-Three Minutes Old" ad.

Bozell outlined the next steps:

Brochure
Content includes:

• Ten Simple Ways to Encourage Your Children's Brain Development
• Introduction and statement from Mona Lee Locke and Melinda French Gates, Co-Chairs
• What is currently know about baby's brain development

Media Public Relations

1. Database of media
2. Press Kit
• Letter from Co-Chairs
• Background
• Research results
• Brain Fact Sheet
• Tips for Parents
• Copies of ad campaign
• Brochure
3. Direct mail database
4. New conferences and ed. boards with Commissioners
5. Feature news stories, op. ed. pieces by Commissioners
6. Fundraising program
• Distribution of brochures
• Media partnerships
• "Spread the word"

Craig Cole suggested that partnership opportunities be offered to industries in general rather than to a specific business. He also suggested regional partnerships.

Kyle Yasuda asked if the ads had been field tested. They have not. Dr. Yasuda also recommends the brochure distribution include OB/GYNs, family practitioners and medical associations.

Peter Jackson recommends developing a distribution strategy and media partnerships using the "Success by Six" campaign as an example.

Dee Ann Perea asked about inclusion of children with specials needs in the ads. Mr. Sharp says they will be included in the television spots where there is greater visibility.

Updates

TEACH: The TEACH Pilot is progressing and scholarships should be distributed in April. The RFP for the statewide Early Childhood Seattle agency is out and a decision will be made in April.

WELF: Robin Zukoski announced they are a little behind in nominating foundation board members and hope to have some recommendations in about ten days.

Parent Education Final Recommendations

Parent Education: There was discussion about ensuring that whatever local programs the foundation supports they are outcome-based. Mona Locke assured the commission that this was the goal.

1-800: Some concern was expressed about the reference to "Paid, trained staff to answer the phones." Was payment necessary? All agreed that staff should be emphasized as "high-quality." The group agreed to omit "Paid."

The recommendations for parent education were unanimously adopted with the noted changes.

Discussion of Final Report and Commission Recommendations

Robin Zukoski introduced the Policy Recommendation Draft.

One: There should be a cabinet level agency or officer to coordinate and integrate all state early learning, child care, family support, parent education and support and programs for children with special needs. Purpose of this agency/position is to focus on strategies designed to impact the well being of children and families.

With the goal of providing seamless service to both the providers and families.

• Integrating the early childhood standards with goals of a single standard for all providers.
• Streamlining eligibility to reduce duplications and uneven eligibility for families.

Two: The financing of the child care and early education system must be addressed. This includes the flexibility in design, funding and delivery of services.

Mona Locke asked about the cost of implementing the recommendations. Robin responded that the cost depends on the recommendations so they are currently unknown.

There was a lengthy discussion regarding whether the proposal should be for a cabinet-level agency or officer, or special assistant appointed by the Governor.

The group agreed the rewrite would include the following suggestions for leadership:

1. Cabinet level, or
2. Authorize Governor to mandate a coordinator, Governor's staff or
3. New agency, or
4. Public/private entity

The Commission also agreed that financing was an important component of child care and early learning. The group decided that references to the following should be encapsulated into the financing component:

• Balancing quality and accessibility-spell out standards and compensation
• Affordability

Mona Locke also referenced a lottery program in Georgia that is used specifically for funding child care.

The group agreed to restructure the first sentence along the lines of,

"To coordinate and integrate all state early learning, child care, family support, parent education and support and programs for children with special needs, a cabinet level agency, governor's officer or appointed coordinator or public/private entity should be designated.

Recommendation Two:

Robin introduced the following graph.

Don Brunell suggests incorporating incentives for business to participate in child care funding, i.e., tax incentives, etc.

Mona Locke asked for a vote on including issue #2. All agreed reference to this issue should be made. However, Craig Cole added there should be more study done in this area.

The Final Report Draft outline was approved.

Next Meeting

May 16, 2000
10:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon
House Hearing Room C
John L. O'Brien Building
Capitol Campus, Olympia

Mona Locke asked that Commissioners hold June 20 for a final meeting if it is necessary. She also suggested a lunch following the final meeting on either May 16 or June 20.

Public Comment:

Joan Martin announced that the Skagit County Summer Education Program received a Literacy grant from the Dept. of Education for $6.8 million. One third of those funds are to be used to set up early learning programs. Skagit was the first county to develop such a program with a private, non-profit and school collaboration.

Jean Hueston, with the South King County Network, likes the GCEL's Public Engagement campaign. She believes the campaign will do a great job in raising public perception of early learning. However, she stresses that it should not be forgotten that the problems with K-12 education are not "cured."

Sharon Oldfield believes the GCEL's research is faulty. She believes a child's brain has the capacity to develop after the first three years. Learning continues into adulthood. The ads introduced for the Public Engagement campaign rely on faulty research.

Julanne Burts is appalled by the amount of money used to come into homes and tell parents how to raise their children. She referred to an incident involving her niece as a foster child in their home and their difficulties with the assigned DSHS caseworker. She also expressed concern about DSHS telling them how to raise their children.

Lisa Gould-Fadaie announced the "Million Mom March" on May 14 in Washington D.C. She also invited anyone interested to the local Seattle march on Saturday, May 13. She gave Robin packets of information to be mailed to Commissioners following the meeting.

Mona Locke expressed sympathy and concern about Ms. Burt's problems with DSHS.

Julanne Burts returned to the microphone and reiterated her position that the money used for the commission and the campaign should be returned to the state.

Marta Kirkwood expressed her belief that the term "partnership with parents" is offensive. She is not interested in having the state as a partner. She says, "Children were given to us. Leave parents alone. We don't want your help."

Marie Jameson with the Family with Kids Partnership suggests using different wording in the public engagement campaign for broader appeal. She suggested avoiding words like "eloquence" and "endeavor" and using words like "talk" instead of "consult."

Kathy Ziesel supports parent education. She feels it should be available to families who wish to take advantage of it. She agrees with GCEL that early education is a process of support.

Jim Key is a parent concerned that the brain research the Commission is using is faulty. He believes it is not proven research.