Legislation
Changes in early learning legislation can provide a solid foundation for change.
Let's make early learning a priority in South Dakota!
We want to change the perception of what early learning is and what it means to South Dakota. This change comes from many places but a change in legislation would provide a solid foundation for us to build on.
South Dakota needs improvement in areas of early learning including
1. Collection of data around early learning
2. Support to communities
3. Support to parents who choose not have their children in formal education
4. The formation of state Early Learning Advisory Council.
Why change in legislation is important
It takes a government agency to collect, proper, adequate data around an issue. Early learning is no different. We need to know how many children are in a community at any certain point of time. We also need to know how many of them are currently in registered daycare, in unregistered care or how many don't have access to care at all. This will help communities determine where there are needs and, in turn, helping all facets of community planning from education to economics.
What to say to your legislator
Check out our talking points. These will give you a great starting point for sharing the message to the policy changers.
When to contact your legislator
You can write to them anytime. If you would like to see them in person, you can attend a local town hall meeting. Find the dates and location of the town hall on your elected officials' websites. Sign up for the listserv or newsletter to get updates on important dates, town halls and public forums.