Montana Parent Survey Is Open! 

We're gathering input from Montana families about the child care and economic realities of raising young children in our state, and we need your help in sharing this link to reach as many parents as possible. We’re on a mission to elevate our collective voice and help create the best possible Montana for kids and families across our state.

By sharing experiences in this brief, confidential survey, families can help ensure local, state, and federal policy-makers understand the experiences of Montana families. Data will be used to help communicate a collective voice of families across the state, and help uplift policy solutions ahead of the 2027 legislative session. There are no right or wrong answers, we simply want to hear what life is like for families with young children. Parents/primary caregivers will have an opportunity to enter a raffle for a $50 gift card at the end of the survey.

Please SHARE this survey with others in your community, as your network can help reach more families! If you know parent groups, can post on social media, or text the link to a friend or family member with young children, we would be so appreciative!

➡️ All responses are confidential and will never be associated with your email address or shared with anyone else. The survey will be open through Friday, Sept. 25.

Join us September 24th at noon:
Summer Roadshow Recap: What We Heard
& What's Ahead for 2027

Please join us during this virtual meeting to learn more about what we heard from parents, providers and community leaders during our 2026 Policy Agenda Roadshow! We'll also share some recent polling results and discuss the policy priorities we will be focusing on during the 2027 Legislative Session. 

• Thursday, Sept. 24: Noon/12 p.m. REGISTER

Join for the monthly virtual meet-up to foster connection, collaboration, and information-sharing ☕

September Coffee Connection will be with Nora Gibbons, 
Engagement and Purchasing Coordinator for School Services of Montana.

🗓️ Sept. 24  |  ⏰ 9 a.m.  |  💻 via Zoom

If you haven't joined the Montana Early Childhood Network yet, sign up here!

Montana Early Childhood Account Board Monthly Meeting

🏛️ Montana Early Childhood Account 
📆 Thurs. Sept. 17 10 a.m. - 11 a.m., Via Zoom

Meetings are open to the public and you can tune in via Zoom! Access the agenda, sign up for email updates and learn more about the board on the MECA web page. The first funding priority identified by the board is to support child care infrastructure. Grants will be coming later this fall, so please be sure to sign-up for the MECA listserv to receive the most up-to-date information. 

Legislative Interim Committee Meetings

Sept. 14-15: Education Interim Committee: Agenda & meeting materials
(Early Targeted Interventions is on the Sept. 15 agenda at 10:30 a.m.)

The Aug. 25 meeting of the Financial Modernization and Rick Analysis Committee discussed child care. (The recording of that meeting is not yet posted, but will be on the page linked above.)
 

Take Action to Protect Head Start!

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) recently issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that would “rescind and replace” the Head Start Program Performance Standards, changing federal oversight of the program and granting states more authority over their Head Start programs.

The proposed rule would alter current standards for teacher-child ratios, workforce training and education, mental health supports for children and families, child suspension and expulsion, services for children with disabilities, and dual-language instruction.

Let your voice be heard!  Public comment on the proposed rule changes is open until Oct. 6. Submit yours here.

• You can read ACF’s proposed changes to Head Start here.
• Find resources about Head Start and the proposed changes by visiting the National Head Start Association.
• Check out the First Five Years Fund fact sheet on Head Start in Montana.
   

Check out The CONNECTOR

Sign up for The CONNECTOR, a new monthly e-blast developed specifically for child care providers to support the business of care through free trainings, tools and support.

Upcoming Trainings

Lead It. Plan It. Do It. (LPD) is an in-person, FREE, interactive three-hour leadership workshop created specifically for Montana child care providers who are ready to move from simply managing what happens today to intentionally building the program they want tomorrow. LPD training is running Sept. 8 – 24 — click below to see if Kendra is coming to a location near you this month!

PEAK Cohort is Montana Child Care Business Connect’s Program Excellence and Administration Knowledge (PEAK) small group coaching cohort that focuses on improving the business administration practices of your child care program! Fall 2026 PEAK Cohort with Jason is running Sept. 10 - Nov. 19. 

Family Forward Montana: Supporting Business Owners in Building Family-Friendly Workplaces 

Family Forward Montana, an initiative of Zero to Five Montana and part of the National Best Place for Working Parents® network, where we’re working to uplift the value of family-friendly work environments across our state. This program is designed specifically for business owners like you, aiming to empower you to build workplaces that prioritize the well-being of employees and their families, ultimately enhancing your business success.

Great West Engineering is a prime example of the Family Forward Montana mission in action. Their organization excels in their sector by incorporating employee-focused practices that benefit both individuals and their families, setting exceptional standards for a family-forward workplace. Watch the full story by clicking the link below!

Montana Child Care Virtual Town Hall: Montana's Treasures Quality Recognition System (QRS)

Participants will become familiar with Montana's new Quality Recognition System, called  Montana's Treasures, and will gain foundational knowledge about how to participate. Access to quality early care is critical for families, and the launch of Montana Treasures is a great way for Montana's early care and education programs to elevate and demonstrate what quality looks like in their community. 

Two options to join:
Wed. Sept. 16 - 6 - 7 p.m. ➡️ REGISTER.
Sat. Sept. 19 - 9 - 10 a.m. ➡️ REGISTER.

2026 Prenatal-to-3 Research to Policy Summit​

What can a decade of state action teach us about how policy progress happens and what it will take to continue moving forward?

This virtual 2026 Prenatal-to-3 Research to Policy Summit is happening September 29! Explore how the prenatal-to-3 policy landscape changed from 2016 to 2026, what helped states move policies forward, and where opportunities remain. ➡️ REGISTER.