Equity Strategic Plan Template to Advance Equity in Early Care and Education Systems
In 2020, the Children’s Equity Project released two reports: Start with Equity: From the Early Years to the Early Grades, in partnership with the Bipartisan Policy Center, and 14 Priorities to Dismantle Systemic Racism in Early Care and Education, in partnership with the Equity Research Action Coalition at UNC Frank Porter Graham, National Association for the Education of Young Children, National Head Start Association, Council for Professional Recognition, National Black Child Development Institute, National Indian Child Care Association, The Education Trust, and The BUILD Initiative. Together, these reports present a wide-ranging, actionable equity policy agenda, organized around 14 key priorities, for early care and education systems. The central goal of that agenda is to build more equitable learning systems by ensuring 1) equitable access to high-quality early care and education; 2) positive, fair experiences within these learning systems; and 3) child and family outcomes that are not associated with demographic characteristics. Building equitable systems requires intentional planning, progress tracking, and accountability. This warrants the development of targeted equity strategic plans, in tandem with embedding equity across all existing plans, such as Child Care and Development Fund state and tribal plans and state plans required under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). The Early Childhood Equity Strategic Plan Template is an implementation tool that can assist states and tribes in planning for systems change, in line with the 14 key equity priorities and accompanying policy agendas.
Suggested citation:
Blevins, D., Meek, S.E., Iruka, I.U. (June, 2021). Equity Strategic Plan Template to Advance Equity in Early Care and Education Systems. The Children’s Equity Project at Arizona State University. Retrieved from: https://cep.asu.edu/resources/early-childhood-equity-strategic-plan-template