WE SERVE AS THE BACKBONE FOR MISSISSIPPI FORUM FOR THE FUTURE
Forum for the Future is a movement to transform the early care and education system in Mississippi. More specifically, it’s a coalition of childcare providers, early childhood organizations, business leaders, and policymakers working to break down silos and leverage our combined resources and expertise to accomplish commons goals. Right now, the common goal is: By 2030, Mississippi’s childcare system will be state-of-the-art, fueled by robust data, resources, and cross-sector collaboration to meet the needs of all children & families.
The Mississippi Early Learning Alliance serves as the backbone for the coalition, meaning that we are responsible for keeping the work moving forward and providing structure and support to all members. Visit Mississippifuture.org to learn more.
WE SUPPORT MISSISSIPPI CHILD CARE PROVIDERS THROUGH A SHARED SERVICES WEBSITE
We launched Mississippi Early Learning Resources (MELR) in 2020 with the support of the W. K. Kellogg Foundation in order to have a way to help providers streamline systems and processes and easily access information for child care providers across Mississippi. MELR serves as a shared services platform that we provide at no-cost to all Mississippi child care providers to help them save money, strengthen their programs, and focus on delivering high-quality care.
Through MELR, providers:
– Access training on early learning, business practices, and child health,
– Get support to improve operations and quality,
– Connect with a network of over 1,400 providers across the state.
By giving providers the tools and support they need, MELR helps create stronger programs and better outcomes for Mississippi’s children. Visit MSEarlyLearningResources.org to learn more.
WE PROMOTE THE LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT OF EARLY EDUCATORS
Often considered “babysitters,” child care providers and early educators frequently do not receive the respect, trust, and professional opportunities their qualifications and expertise demand. And, as policies and programs are designed, they are rarely given access to the leadership roles that they ready and equipped to hold or asked to leverage their expertise and experience working with young children.
To help disrupt this unacceptable status quo, MELA created the Leading from Strength Empowerment Network. This network aims to strengthen program quality, stabilize workforce retention, and build a pipeline of Mississippi ECE leaders who are equipped to navigate operational, instructional, and community-facing responsibilities.
Members of each Leading from Strength cohort will engage in a series of learning experiences over the course of one year. These experiences are designed to honor and elevate members’ wisdom and lived experiences, foster collaboration among providers across disciplines, and provide professional leadership training.
Investing in Mississippi’s early educators is essential because they are the backbone of a system that is too often overlooked in national conversations and under-resourced compared to states with more developed early learning infrastructures. We have seen that whenever Mississippi child care providers and early childhood teachers have the opportunity to build networks, understand the broader system, and design policy or program solutions, they have emerged as powerful advocates and leaders for children.