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Identify the part(s) of your plan you were able to implement (given the nature of leadership work, your project may actually continue beyond submission of your Capstone Portfolio).

-Research and understand past and present pre-k funding in Montana (Artifact 20)

-Identify funding sources (Artifacts 1 and 20)

-Identify supporters and those already working on this challenge (MCPS, MFPE, Dr. Lux, etc.)

-Identify public pre-k options (Head Start, ANB-funded programs)

-Discuss expansion of current state funding at the local level with multiple stakeholders (Artifacts 7, 10, 13, 15, 16, 17)

-Identify ways to expand access (Artifact 18)

-Identify barriers to expanding access (Artifacts 15, 16, 17, 18)

How successful was your action plan at addressing the challenge?

My action plan was a good first step in addressing the challenge. The overall challenge of addressing equity in Montana pre-k through public access is a massive undertaking, and I knew going into the project that I would need to break this overall goal down into manageable pieces, only one or two of which I’d be able to address during the TLI experience itself. I had hoped to shift to advocacy very quickly during the TLI process, but when I realized how scattered and inaccessible data surrounding pre-k is in Montana, my goal shifted to understanding, compiling, and sharing data among stakeholders and colleagues so that we could have a mutual understanding of the challenges we face and begin to work together to come up with solutions.

Which stakeholders and association practice or program were impacted? How do you know (cite evidence)?

-MCPS, MFPE, Head Start of Missoula, United Way of Missoula

-Through discussion, I compiled a list of identified barriers to increasing pre-k access as well as possible solutions so that we can collaborate on this issue rather than work in our bubbles (Artifact 18). I’m hoping we can use this document as a jumping-off point to continue problem-solving and communicating the needs of the communities we serve in a way that will inspire those in power to support equity in pre-kindergarten educational opportunities.

How were your four chosen competencies used in the implementation of your project?

Policy Pathway: Advocacy

Advocating for equitable access to public pre-k in Montana acted as the driving force and overarching goal of the project. In order to advocate for public pre-k, I needed to understand pre-kindergarten funding, current and past programs, and current barriers to expansion so that I can share that knowledge with other stakeholders and education professionals. We need to be knowledgeable in order to advocate successfully.

Foundational competency: Explore and Challenge Inequity

Current access to pre-kindergarten education in Montana is inherently inequitable because no state-wide public option exists. Only 18% of 4-year-olds in the state are served by programs that receive any public funding (whether through Head Start, IDEA, or ANB funding, Artifact 1), so more than 80% of Montana families are completely reliant on private pre-k or childcare options. Private options often have significant waitlists, and many families are unable to afford pre-kindergarten education even if a placement is available. Therefore, increasing access to public pre-k learning opportunities naturally increases equity.

Overarching Competency: Continuing Learning and Education, and

Overarching Competency: Reflective Process

Reflection and continual learning have been instrumental to my project. The long-term goal of increasing access to public pre-kindergarten learning options is a massive goal with many sub-projects necessary to its success. Through constant reflective practice, I was able to hone in on specific barriers I needed to overcome personally (such as my lack of knowledge regarding pre-k funding in Montana) as well as those we need to collectively overcome (such as scattershot data regarding pre-k providers and funding). Through reflection, I was able to specify my learning and engage in deeper learning.

What obstacles, if any, did you encounter? How did you address them?

Oh, where to begin! I feel like my project could be defined by the obstacles I encountered, but I suppose that is the unorganized nature of pre-kindergarten in Montana as it exists today. The entire project felt like one of those mazes of mirrors you might find at a carnival: I’d head off in one direction only to bump into a mirror and realize that I didn’t have the data or knowledge necessary to successfully advocate, so I’d reflect, shift, and try again, only to encounter another mirror shortly thereafter. I persevered, shifted, and refined my goals in order to make an impact that will benefit our pre-k equity efforts in the future.

The first obstacle I encountered was in deciding which route to take in advocating for public pre-k. Once I spoke to some stakeholders and attempted to find data on my own, I quickly realized that I needed to shift my immediate goal to understanding how funding for pre-k works in Montana, as well as how it has worked in the past. The second obstacle I encountered was when I realized that there is no database of pre-k providers or how they are funded. I addressed this obstacle by reaching out to Montana OPI, MFPE, and local public policy experts. I was able to learn about how pre-kindergarten education services have been and are currently funded in the state. I was also able to identify a possible route of increasing access (through use of ANB funding, such as what is done at Jefferson here in Missoula). Once I identified this opportunity, I met with Dr. Rob Watson of Missoula County Public Schools to better understand a third obstacle: identifying and overcoming barriers to expanding existing programs which utilize ANB funding. I knew from my discussion with Sarah Piper and Amanda Curtis of MFPE that this use of funds has been controversial among current legislative and governing bodies at the state capitol. I also knew that the association sees this as the most viable option for expanding pre-k in the current political environment. I was excited to talk to Dr. Watson about this option to better understand the barriers affecting local expansion of this funding method. During my conversation with Dr. Watson, I realized a fourth obstacle: some districts (like MCPS) currently using ANB funding are hesitant if not outright unwilling to expand their existing programs despite demonstrated need because they are worried the option will be shut down entirely by state legislative and executive bodies if the funding requests increase. This marked the final conversation I was able to have regarding overcoming barriers in the time constraints of the TLI program. I plan to share this understanding and knowledge with other stakeholders in order to continue brainstorming ways to overcome barriers we encounter as we work to increase pre-k access.

Given the outcomes, describe any changes you might make to the Capstone Project’s action plan.

Given the outcomes, I would have liked to have honed in on my need to better understand funding sources and create tools for others to understand them earlier in the project, defining that as my Capstone goal rather than spending so much time on the long-term, big-picture goal of advocating for equitable access to quality pre-k educational services. Had I refined my project’s goal earlier, I would have been able to not only create an information page regarding pre-k funding, but also begin to share it with colleagues and stakeholders.