The Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) is pleased to support state efforts in promoting high-quality pre-kindergarten for all children. As part of this work, CCSSO is launching the new Promoting High-Quality Prekindergarten Network on January 30 at its Chiefs’ Summit on High-Quality PreK. This network of eight states will work closely over the next 18 months together as state leaders and with experts at the national level to use their role as state K-12 chiefs to improve the funding, access and policies that support state-funded preschool programs for all students. The network is made possible through generous support of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The following states have joined the Promoting High-Quality Prekindergarten Network: Mississippi, New York, Minnesota, Tennessee, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Maine, and Colorado. 

The event on January 30 to launch the new network and CCSSO’s renewed commitment to high-quality early childhood education will be livestreamed. The scheduled sessions can be found below which includes remarks from CCSSO’s Interim Executive Director Carissa Miller and Board President Carey Wright, and a conversation with chiefs participating in the network. 

Here is an agenda for the events that will be livestreamed:

Welcome and Introductions (9:00 – 9:30 a.m. ET)
Dr. Carissa Moffat Miller, Interim Executive Director, CCSSO

Keynote Presentation on CCSSO Presidential Platform on Early Childhood (1:00- 2:00 p.m. ET)
Dr. Carey Wright, Superintendent of Education, Mississippi Department of Education and Board President, CCSSO Board of Directors

Panel Discussion: High Quality PreK As Part of a Coherent PreK to Grade 12 Vision (2:00 p.m. -3:15 p.m. ET)
Panelists:
Dr. Brenda Cassellius, Commissioner, Minnesota Department of Education
Ms. MaryEllen Elia, Commissioner, New York State Education Department
Dr. Carey Wright, Superintendent of Education, Mississippi Department of Education

Moderator:
Dr. Carissa Moffat Miller, Interim Executive Director, CCSSO