The Future Project is all about imagining a new early learning future in Florida. We are building a coalition grounded in parent and educator voices. Together, we have created an actionable roadmap for the future of early learning policy and funding in our state.
Hearing the dreams and struggles of Florida parents and educators was our starting point to reimagine the future for our youngest learners. Mothers, fathers, educators, center owners and directors, advocates, and state policy experts worked collaboratively to plan the future.
This work is made possible by the Helios Education Foundation. You can read more in a Helios guest blog.
2022
Phase 1: Let's Talk About Early Learning
2022
April - October 2022 - Through a listening tour, hundreds of Floridians shared critical perspectives and became the core of this effort. We began a series of "Let's Talk!" sessions, asking simple questions about the experiences parents, educators, family child care home operators and center owners/directors have had with early learning.
2023
Phase 2: Drafting the Roadmap
2023
As we moved forward to draft the roadmap, parents and educators, who were often been missing from policy conversations, will came together with state leaders and others with system-level expertise.
2023
It has been important for the success of this project to have a diverse group of people leading the work: from different economic circumstances and family backgrounds, bringing different parenting styles and educational preferences, understanding the intricacies of the early learning system, and representing communities all across our state.
The Steering Committee was group of leaders. No matter what perspective or expertise each member brought, they came together as equal partners, each committed to the work over 10 months time.
2023
Phase 3: Community Feedback
2023
Once we had a draft of the Roadmap, we planned for another tour around the state: this time, engaging larger groups of Floridians in community meetings. We looked forward to strong engagement, with feedback and comments that make the plan stronger.
The final edits to the Roadmap were made based on this feedback.
2023
We engaged:
1,000 Participants
70% of which were parents and educators in
65 Listening & feedback sessions
2023
Roadmap launch
2023
Florida's Early Learning Roadmap was launched in Fall 2023, following nearly two years of collective work through The Future Project, an initiative of The Children's Movement of Florida.
2023
Nearly 1,000 Floridians helped create the Roadmap, a document that grew out of more than 100 conversations with parents, educators, and others all across our state. The steering committee who drafted it was made up of 70% parents and educators.