🏛️ The 2026 MN Legislative Session has begun!
Think Small is watching the big early childhood issues shaping this year’s policy landscape. 👀
Stay in the loop—sign up for Policy & Advocacy updates! 📩 bit.ly/3OnTaGA
“As a working mom with no family in the state, it’s difficult to find someone... to take care of your child. When you’re notified [that you’re waitlisted] a week before school starts…it adds stress on a full-time employee and mother.” -Cristela's reality of #ELSwaitlist @judyseeberger.bsky.social
Leah in Rochester shares her experience on the #ELSwaitlist: “I have four children and a husband in residency so finances are tight…I would love to get my daughter into a preschool but we can’t afford it without a scholarship” @andysmithmn.bsky.social @lizboldonmn.bsky.social
#ELSwaitlist means parents sacrifice quality. “We had to choose a lower-quality, less structured option that doesn’t provide the same level of educational enrichment or care, but it was the only one within my budget…” Valerie, Brooklyn Park lindseyportmn.bsky.social
#ELSwaitlist "I didn’t have...care for my youngest. I had to rely on family, friends, and whatever options were available...there were days I missed work, turned down job opportunities, and sat in silence...wondering how I was going to hold everything together" in Minnetonka @pattyacomb.bsky.social
#ELSwaitlist “We are desperately waiting for the results of scholarships for the upcoming school year. We have twin boys…without the scholarship, there is no way we can afford pre-k for them. This will put them behind... in their learning.” Natalia, White Bear Lake @senatorgustafson.bsky.social
Minnesota’s already‑fragile child care system is being shaken by online fraud allegations, funding threats, and activity by federal agents—disrupting children’s daily routines and families’ access to care.
Read our full statement: https://loom.ly/kkXpZsA
Tamira in Minneapolis: “I wish Minnesota lawmakers and the public understood that families like mine are doing everything we possibly can but we’re still drowning. Child care isn’t a luxury. It’s a necessity. And it directly affects a parent’s ability to work [and] thrive" @nathancoulter.bsky.social
Single parents on the #ELSwaitlist seek relief: “My salary is $22.50 an hour, but I have to pay for the house, water, electricity, gas, and buy food, clothing, and everything else my son needs.” Jessica, Minneapolis @repkimhicks.bsky.social @nathancoulter.bsky.social
2 years on the waitlist is too long! LaShay in St. Paul shares, "I’ve been on the waitlist for approximately 2 years. I make too much money to be eligible for state programs like child care assistance, and I make too little to afford childcare payments on my own. It’s a lose-lose situation."
@nathancoulter.bsky.social Early Learning Scholarships help eligible Minnesota families pay for quality child care. However, there are over 7,000 children on the Scholarship waitlist. Families are waiting for relief. Follow ThinkSmall and #ELSwaitlist to hear their stories in their own words.
Join our Data, Research, and Policy team for the Todd Otis Public Policy Internship! You’ll grow and learn as a professional. Applications are due soon. Apply Now! tiny.cc/t1ct001
Here’s where past interns are now tiny.cc/t1ct001 Join these alumni who went through the Todd Otis Public Policy Internship! Applications are open now and due Oct. 30 tiny.cc/t1ct001
Applications are open through October 31 tiny.cc/t1ct001
“For anyone considering [the Todd Otis Public Policy] internship: If you're passionate about early childhood and want to see how real change happens, this is a great place to start.” Quynh Nhu Dao, Research Analyst, Child Trends, 2022 Intern
Are you interested in early care and education? Want to learn more about policy? Apply for the Todd Otis Public Policy Internship. Applications are open now and due Oct 31. tiny.cc/t1ct001
Your story matters. 💬 Help us improve early care & education in MN by sharing your experience with ECE. Parents, providers, advocates, all are welcome! We may share your story to help make ECE better for all MN families.
📣Share Here: forms.office.com/pages/respon... #EarlyEdMN
Informed advocates make powerful changes! We hosted Session 2 of our Summer Legislative Learning with our leaders. We identified our representatives and introduced power mapping as a strategic advocacy tool. Find your legislators here: www.gis.lcc.mn.gov/iMaps/distri...
Today, our Data, Research, and Policy team hosted the first of our series of Summer Legislative Learning sessions.
Interested in a policy engagement training for your early childhood leaders? Reach out to us at policy@thinksmall.org
After years of teaching, Melissa Levingston made the leap to open her own family child care program. Inspired by her mother’s legacy, and with support from Think Small, Melissa created a nurturing space where children can thrive.
Read more in our new blog post! 🔗https://bit.ly/43iBYHj
The White House is drafting the 2026 HHS budget-which could eliminate Head Start and Early Head Start. Over 750,000 kids could lose access to early learning!
Act NOW to protect our children, families & communities. 📢 Tell Congress: don't cut Head Start! 👉https://bit.ly/3RHN9D6
📣The Early Learning Scholarships bill (H.F. 470/S.F. 1049) moves to a floor vote in the House and Senate, where they will decide its future! A huge THANK YOU to everyone who took action—your emails and support make a difference! Special shoutout to Corinne Martin for sharing her testimony. #mnleg
The bill has yet to be heard in the House, and you can urge your legislators to support this crucial funding by taking action HERE! 🔗https://bit.ly/4c9iNTp
"The scholarship meant that cost would not be the first and last factor in our daycare decision, freeing us as parents to have a choice in where our children attend daycare,” testified Andrew Schultz in support of S.F. 1049 at the Senate Health and Human Services Committee last week.
Busy morning at the Capitol! The lovely human on the right on the photo is Kati, from @WilderChildDevelopmentCenter. She’s testifying this morning about how we could #FundChildCare. We got a sneak peek and her testimony is 🔥 🔥 🔥. We promise to share soon!
HF 470/SF 1049 will be heard in the Senate tomorrow, March 20th. This bill helps protect funding for Early Learning Scholarships, preventing a cut that could leave 15,000 kids without care. Read Corinne's story on the impact of this funding. 🔗‼️https://bit.ly/3FFSxDX #mnleg
Join us for "Beyond Red Tape: Innovating Child Care Licensing and Quality Standards", a 90-minute virtual event on transforming ECE systems.
📅 Friday, 3/28 | ⏰ 10:00-11:30 AM CST | 📍 Online
🔗 Register: us02web.zoom.us/.../581.../W...
🚀 Big changes could be coming to early childhood education in MN! The WeVision EarlyEd initiative aims to streamline licensing, ease family burdens, & elevate ECE quality—and Think Small is leading the way.
🔎 Learn more: bit.ly/4kgoAKl
🚨 MN's child care crisis is growing—centers are closing, families are struggling. A bipartisan bill to expand Early Learning Scholarships could help keep programs open & support kids who need it most!
🔗 Read the latest commentary in MinnPost
www.minnpost.com/community-vo...
MN Early Learning Scholarship funding is set to be cut in half, leaving thousands without access to quality care.
Support House File 470 / Senate File 1049 to keep funding in place!
📢 Tell your legislators to act now! Use this quick template:
🔗https://thinksmall.quorum.us/campaign/108538/
Mike Huber's book challenges traditional, binary approaches to inclusion and offers a fresh perspective: constellation thinking. Explore how #earlychildhood educators can create truly inclusive environments that celebrate every child.
#earlylearning #childdevelopment
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eq5t...