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Arizona Partnership Promotes Early Childhood Leadership

June 24, 2005 /

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Governor Janet Napolitano recently accepted a $500,000 grant from a Bank One, a JPMorgan Chase company, to build early education teacher development and child literacy programs. Bank One contributed the funds to the Arizona Early Education Fund-a public-private partnership among Governor Napolitano, the Arizona School Readiness Board, and the non-profit Arizona Community Foundation.

search demonstrates that for every dollar invested in early education programs, there is a seven dollar savings in criminal justice, welfare, remedial education, and other related costs.

The fund’s programs include early literacy, professional development, quality improvements for child care and preschool, and child health programs.

The grant will provide financial support to the Emergent Leaders program-a yearlong course focused on developing the leadership, management and advocacy skills of those working in early childhood education. Early childhood education professionals are selected through a competitive application process and represent the cultural and geographic diversity of Arizona.

Emergent Leaders serve as creative leaders and role models to others in the early childhood education field. The Emergent Leaders program stemmed from Arizona’s involvement in the State Early Childhood Policy Leadership Forum, a joint initiative of the NGA Center for Best Practices and ZERO TO THREE that seeks to create a learning network among state early childhood policymakers.

Related Links:

* Related Stories, ”Arizona Expands Voluntary All-Day Kindergarten” http://www.nga.org/center/frontAndCenter/1,1188,C_FRONT_CENTER%5eD_8370,00.html

* Arizona Emergent Leaders Program press release http://www.governor.state.az.us/press/June05/061005%7EBankOneGrantAnnouncement%7ENR.pdf

* Arizona Early Education Fund brochure http://www.governor.state.az.us/cyf/school_readiness/documents/Fund%20Fact%20sheet%20MARCH%201.pdf

* State Early Childhood Policy Leadership Forum http://www.zerotothree.org/policy/ecforum.html