The Nebraska Early Childhood Strategic Plan is a dynamic plan by and for all Nebraskans that seeks to ensure that each child has equitable access to quality early childhood education. In 2020, the strategic plan was developed through a collaborative statewide process that builds on Nebraska’s strengths. It was based on findings from a statewide needs assessment and directly informed by input from families, early childhood providers, and other stakeholders representing communities across Nebraska.
We are Updating the Nebraska Early Childhood Strategic Plan in 2023!
For more than a year, Nebraskans have met in numerous communities across the state, actively listening to the voices of families and early childhood professionals and providers, including people living in rural areas, people of color, families of children with disabilities, and more. These efforts were critical to ensuring that more diverse perspectives and priorities are included in the updated Nebraska Early Childhood Strategic Plan.
Through the work of facilitators across the state, over 300 Nebraskans attended 52 meetings to identify strategies and action plans, including strategies to create equity in access to quality care.
These community-led meetings were called SPEAQ Up! Nebraska, which stands for Strategic Planning for Equitable Access to Quality early care and education. You can learn more by clicking on the SPEAQ Up! link at the bottom of this page.
Strategic Plan Vision and Goals
The overarching vision of the Nebraska Early Childhood Strategic Plan is to provide all Nebraska children and their families with access to quality early childhood care and education and other essential services that support children’s healthy development from birth through age 8.
The plan defines four interrelated goals, each with corresponding objectives. These goals are intended to create a more integrated early childhood system—and work on any one of the goals will impact and inform the other goals.
- Access Goal—Each child and their family can access the quality early childhood care, education, and essential services they need to support each child’s healthy development.
- Quality Goal—All early care and education settings provide quality experiences for children.
- Collaboration Goal—Communities coordinate a locally designed mixed-delivery system that provides continuous care and meets the needs of families.
- Alignment Goal—Statewide systems align to support communities in creating an integrated and comprehensive mixed-delivery system for all children.
Read the Plan Summary
Coming Soon: The 2023 Nebraska Early Childhood Strategic Plan
The information gathered during the SPEAQ Up! Nebraska meetings will update the objectives and strategies under these goals. The updated Nebraska Early Childhood Strategic Plan will include:
- Recommendations from Nebraskans about changes that will create more access to quality early care and education
- Ideas for how to increase equitable access to quality care for children in communities across the state
- Insights from families and early childhood professionals on the definition of quality early care and education
- Lessons learned from the impacts of the pandemic on child care in Nebraska’s communities
Interested in helping us reach more people across Nebraska? If you’d like to see the strategic plan presented at one of your meetings or conferences, or if you’re excited to give people in your community the opportunity to provide feedback to improve the strategic plan, click below to let us know how we can help you reach more people in your community.
Interested in learning more about the Nebraska Early Childhood Strategic Plan? Click below to find more detailed information about the plan, including links to the strategic planning webinar, the executive summary of the Nebraska Early Childhood Strategic Plan, and other resources.
