Advocacy Efforts: What Tools Are Needed to Drive Equitable Policy and Systems Change?
Advocacy is a critical component of systems change efforts.
In this session, we explored the essential tools for driving equitable policy and systems change—whether you were a community member or a system partner. Equipping yourself with data-driven, community-informed, and tested tools was crucial for creating lasting impact. We shared the tools we had used, our successes, and the lessons learned along the way. Participants left with practical strategies and resources to strengthen advocacy efforts and help shape policies that truly served all communities.
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Leading an Early Childhood Team Through the Quality Improvement Process
Article October 7, 2026
Published in Young Children, this 2024 article provides an operational guide for aligning state QIS requirements with broader national standards, quality grants, and staff incentives.
Much-Needed Changes in Child Care Quality Rating and Improvement Systems Should Promote Equity
Blog October 7, 2026
Blog authors Gina Adams and Danielle Ewen outline systemic flaws in traditional models. This 2024 blog details how traditional QRIS frameworks often inadequately support parents, underinvest in actual center improvement, and inadvertently exacerbate funding inequalities among diverse childcare providers.
Four Trends in Early Care and Education Quality Rating and Improvement Systems
Fact Sheet October 7, 2026
This 2024 brief evaluates Parent Aware (Minnesota's system) and synthesizes interviews across six states (Delaware, Louisiana, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Vermont, and Washington). It identifies critical, modern pathways for administrators looking to overhaul and redesign state frameworks.