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This Valentine’s Day, invite your state policymakers to
Have a Heart for Montana’s kids!
State support of Montana’s young children, families and care providers, not only positively impacts our communities, but has lasting effects on our state as a whole. Join us in wishing our elected officials a "Happy Valentine's Day" and urge them to Have a Heart for Kids!
Earlier this month we mailed cards filled with Valentines hand-colored by kids to each of our state's legislators, reminding them to consider young children and families in decision-making. Huge thank you to the young children and early care providers at Larch Early Childhood Care, Florence Crittenton Child Enrichment Center, Rocky Head Start, and The Wonder Years Daycare & Preschool LLC, for sharing their artistic talents. We appreciate you helping to amplify the importance of early childhood and sharing the joy and creativity of early learning with our policymakers!
NEW 6-month Public/Private Early Childhood Partnership
Cohort opportunity!
Zero to Five Montana is looking for public school and private child care business representatives interested in developing a partnership to better serve their community’s young children and families. Learn more here.
Over six months, participating partners will:
- Build relationships and shared understanding across sectors
- Identify a partnership opportunity (examples detailed in the linked document overview of the program)
- Begin to design and implement the collaborative partnership project
- Learn alongside a small group of peer communities doing similar work
Applications are due by Feb. 13 at 4:59 p.m. (If you are interested and need support or more time to finish your application, reach out to Shelby Whelan at shelbyw@zerotofive.org)
2026 Community Conversations
Policy Agenda Road Show
Want to talk state policy and early childhood issues with us in advance of the 2027 legislative session? We'd love to visit your community this year! If you are interested in having our team add your town to our statewide road show, please fill out our interest form! The feedback we gather directly shapes our policy work and supports meaningful engagement with lawmakers.
Sign up for our advocacy email list and get updates on early childhood policy, action alerts and more!
With the release of the Montana Department of Public Health & Human Services' comprehensive needs assessment, strategic plan, and fiscal analysis for the early childhood system reports, Montana has a comprehensive road map for strengthening early childhood systems. In response, the Montana Early Childhood Network is hosting a series of “Launch Labs” to bring partners together from across the state to work on each of the five priority areas of the strategic plan to help turn these reports into action.
Join us for our monthly virtual meet-up to foster connection, collaboration, and information-sharing ☕
This month's Coffee Connection will be with Bobbi deMontigny, Lifelong Learning Librarian at the Montana State Library.
🗓️ Feb. 26 | ⏰ 9 a.m. | 💻 via Zoom
Bobbi will be sharing about early childhood programming and resources available through the MT State Library. If you haven't joined the Montana Early Childhood Network yet, sign up here!
Upcoming legislative interim meetings
Stay connected with the Montana Legislature during the interim! Click the committee name below to access meeting agendas, Zoom links and other information.
Montana Early Childhood Account Board
Wednesday, Feb. 4, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Capitol Room 137 or via Zoom (passcode MECA)
State Tribal Relations Committee
Tuesday, Feb. 10, 9 a.m., Capitol Room 137
School Funding Commission
Wednesday, Feb. 11 & Thursday, Feb. 12, 8 a.m., Capitol Room 137
Superior School District recognizes that affordable, accessible child care is essential, not only for working families, but also for recruiting and retaining staff. In 2025, after being awarded the Employer Sponsored Child Care Grant through our Family Forward initiative, the district began improvements to its space and officially opened Cubs Corner, its on-site child care program.
Superior School District has also earned the Best Place for Working Parents® designation recognizing its commitment to supporting employees and their families, and the positive impact that support has on workplace success.
A Best Place for Working Parents® designation can help your company
gain and retain top industry talent.
In this month's blog post, guest author Maureen Bjerke (coordinator for the Early Childhood Collaborative of the Greater Helena Area) shares her recent experience in our Community Child Care Capacity Building Cohort and outlines how the Helena coalition continues to identify community-driven and data-informed solutions to child care access in the area.
Alliance CORE Child Care Management System training
starts February 5
Alliance CORE helps child care programs streamline daily operations by bringing essential business and administrative tools into one easy-to-use system. From record keeping and tracking enrollment & attendance, to tuition invoicing and payment tracking.
Training schedule (via Zoom):
▪️ Feb. 5, 1:30-2:30 p.m.
▪️ Feb. 12, 1:30-2:30 p.m.
▪️ Feb. 19, 1:30-2:30 p.m.
▪️ Feb. 26, 1:30-2:30 p.m.
▪️ Mar. 5, 1:30 - 2:30 p.m.
When you sign up for AllyHealth, you, your employees and their families have 24/7/365 virtual access to a network of board-certified doctors, mental health counselors, wellness coaches, life coaches, well-being support, work-life support, and more. Nearly every appointment has a $0 copay!
To learn more & sign up, click here: childcarebusinessconnect.com/shared-services
Montana Child Care Business Connect is offering FREE courses through ChildCareTraining.org!
We’ve partnered with ChildCareTraining.org to offer FREE courses with ECP credits. Learn more & access the courses on our website.
This project is funded in whole or in part under a contract with the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services. The statements herein do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the department.
