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As our Montana summer slips into autumn, change is in the air. We are experiencing shifts in our early childhood landscape and wanted to take a moment to recognize and celebrate the amazing impact our partner early childhood organizations have made over the years, including Raise Montana and the Child Care Resource and Referral agencies. Staff across the agencies have been close friends and partners for many years, and we are hopeful for opportunities to continue working together, even if our child care serving agencies look a little different moving forward.
Additionally, the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) child care supplemental funding has also come to an end. However, we are pleased to share that we will be continuing on in providing child care business supports across our state. In addition to child care business training, technical assistance, mentorship, workforce support, and community engagement, we will also be continuing the shared services program. We are very grateful to Raise Montana for their leadership in developing these services over the past couple of years, and are thrilled to share the addition of Jacklynn Liles to our team.
Lastly, we’re in the final stretch leading up to the election (be sure to vote!) and invite you to check out the early childhood policy priorities that have been co-developed in partnership with parents, early care and education providers, and community leaders. We look forward to working with you to help advance these policies and make Montana a great place for children and families well into the future.
Zero to Five Montana's 2025 legislative bill tracker is live!
Our 2025 Legislative Session web page is live along with our legislative bill tracker. We'll be updating the tracker prior to legislators arriving in Helena, and then daily once they are in session. Check it out!
Advocacy Trainings Coming Up!
- Oct. 17, 12 p.m.: Advocacy 101 Training – train the trainer for early childhood community leaders / Register
- Nov. 12, 6 p.m.: Advocacy 101 Training – general training for all (parent, citizen, etc.) / Register
- Dec.10, 12 p.m.: Advocacy 101 Training – general training for all (parent, citizen, etc.) / Register
- January - April 2025: Legislative Update Calls every Thursday at 12 p.m. starting January 9th / Register
- Feb. 5: Early Childhood Policy Summit & Parent Advocacy Training / General Registration | Parent Registration
- Feb. 6: "Have a Heart for Kids" early childhood advocacy event at the Montana State Capitol / General Registration | Parent Registration
Join the Herd!
Montana Parent Voice
Montana Parent Voice is a statewide parent advocacy network dedicated solely to increasing awareness related to critical early childhood issues in Montana.
It is a place for families to come together, learn, and take action for the early childhood system we all want to see for our children.
Save the dates!
Have a Heart for Kids 2025
On Feb. 5, families and providers are invited to participate in our Early Childhood Summit for advocacy training and discussions.
On Feb. 6, join us for a day of connection with lawmakers, families, child care providers and other early childhood champions in the rotunda of the Montana State Capitol.
We are hiring!
We are looking for a dynamic individual for our project coordinator role!
Click the link below to learn more and to apply. If you have questions, please contact norilinah@zerotofive.org
On the Road! Cohort Connection Conversations
Our Workforce Business Consultant, Beth Branam is visiting all of the participants in the Leader's Revitalizing Recruitment and Retention cohort sites this month to get a tour and help support them with their recruitment and retention strategies.
The past few weeks Beth met with:
- Jessica Kannegiesser with Young Families Early Head Start Billings
- Gail Sullivan with N 31st Learning and Play Academy in Billings
- Ashley Anderson with Kid Kountry in Billings
- Susan Sholar with the Sunshine Academy in Laurel
- Melissa Velin with Discovery Kidzone, Clancy, Montana City and Helena
- Mishael Jelley with Flathead Child Care, Kalispell
- Jessica Hurley with Little Treeschool, Kalispell
- Stephanie Brunner with Fort Courage, Missoula
- Sarah Ederer with The Growing Tree/Sprouts, Missoula
- Ashley Pena-Larsen with Rocky Head Start, Helena
- Sarah Mitchell with Child Enrichment Center, Helena
- Pam Birkeland with Alder Eaglets in Alder
- Valerie Reynolds with New Kids on the Block in Sheridan
- Robyn Brantner with Robyn's Nest Daycare in Great Falls
- Michelle Bowser with Opportunities, Inc. Head Start in Great Falls
- Crystal Kist with TLC Center in Great Falls
- Keely Tingler with The Next Best Thing in Great Falls
EDUCATION & EVENTS
Recorded Webinars Available
Missed a Tiny Training webinar? Subscribe to our YouTube channel to access past recordings. Or, visit childcarebusinessconnect.com.
MCCBC is now offering courses through www.ChildCareTraining.org!
Small Business Resiliency Course
Don’t let burn-out be the reason you close your business! In some studies, 67% of child care business owners report experiencing some sort of “burn out” as a contributing factor to why they close their doors. Less than 20% of child care businesses that closed their doors reported having any kind of resiliency training or support. It is the goal of this workshop to provide you with four skills that have been proven successful in combatting burn out.
This course can be taken at any time and is free of charge. Two hours ECP credit is available.
Employee Recruitment and Retention
This class will teach how to hire the right fit by using the 8 best practices in selecting new employees, as well as learn why company culture, including your mission, vision, and values, is key for retention.
This course can be taken at any time and is free of charge. Two hours ECP credit is available.
Marketing Community and Family Engagement in Your Child Care Program
High-quality child care programs provide families the opportunity to come together with each other and be a part of your program. In this training we are going to cover the five benefits of having a marketing and community relations plan for your child care business. This class will help you discover how to promote your program to the public.
This course can be taken at any time and is free of charge. Two hours of ECP credit is available.
12-Minute Risk Management
This class is designed to help you protect your small business from the four most common business risks small businesses face.
This course can be taken at any time and is free of charge. Two hours of ECP credit is available.
Partner Spotlights
Montana Department of Labor & Industry
Check out this EarlyEdU Alliance feature on the Montana Department of Labor & Industry's apprenticeship program to support and expand Montana's early childhood education work force.
Through the state’s Pilot Pre-Apprenticeship Child Development Associate program, licensed childcare workers receive a $3,000 stipend while they engage in 480 hours of on-the-job experience during the nine-month pilot. They also undergo 120 hours of online training.
“Childcare affects the entire workforce,” says Rhiannon Shook, Childcare Development Specialist with the department’s Industry Workforce Services Division. “There’s a big economic loss for us when we don't have a workforce that's able to participate because of lack of access to childcare.”
OPI offering Early Literacy Learning Series
This series of virtual learning is designed to support preschool, kindergarten and 1st-3rd grade teachers implementing Early Literacy Targeted Intervention Classroom programs and ANY educator wishing to strengthen their knowledge about early literacy.
In the News
- Rising liability insurance costs pose an 'existential threat' to child care providers (Featuring a quote from Alex with Zero to Five Montana! New America)
- 2024 Montana Early Childhood Tribal Language Summit held in Pablo (KPAX)
- Opportunities, not poverty alone, predict later-life success for children (The Hechinger Report)
- US 'catastrophically wrong' to separate early child care from education (The 74)
- With Kindergarten readiness on the decline, some districts try new interventions (EdSurge)
- Child care for 2 kids now costs early 40% more than rent across 100 US largest metros (FoxNews)
