Advocacy


The early education landscape will be changed through public policy. The Christian community must be salt and light in our local and national government. There are several things an early education leader can do to increase effectiveness in public policy.


1. Become a part of the grassroots process for effecting this change!


2. Learn how to get help to your staff and families.


3. Find a leader in your organization who can be a part of understanding the important distinctions of public policy. Every ministry must have someone to go to at the local level when change happens.


4. Get involved with Christian and private school advocacy teams.


Key Policy Points and Battlegrounds


As the culture in the United States moves further and further away from its Judeo-Christian roots, many will try to remove faith from Christian early education programs. They are often motivated by an incorrect understanding of the separation of church and state—a misguided belief that faith does not belong in early education, that faith is destructive, or that early education has to be like public secular education. Early educators must protect religious early education options as part of the wide array of diverse educational opportunities.


1. In attempts to change early education, fight to keep biblically based programs on par with programs with a secular worldview.


2. Recognize the value of ACSI accreditation. This includes: a. Encouraging early education centers to become accredited and to advance accreditation as a way of identifying quality.


b. Promoting ACSI accreditation as a model of quality advancement.


c. Resisting the temptation to advance other accreditation models that do not allow for a distinctly Christian curriculum and culture.


3. Be aware of your state’s requirements for operation, and ensure that those requirements (licensing, registration, etc.) do not create barriers for faith-based


In & Out of Committee What Happens at the Fall ACSI National Legislative


Conference in DC? Matt Gaines


On the evening of Monday, September 12, 2016, 20 heads of ACSI schools met near our nation’s capital in


© 2016 by the Association of Christian Schools International


Arlington, Virginia. We met to begin the important 2016 ACSI National Legislative Conference meetings. The


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early education. If such barriers do exist, pray and look for opportunities to discuss policy changes that will allow Christian centers to participate.


4. Oppose policies that would prevent faith-based programs from receiving funding or enrolling parents who have been granted funding. Make connections with state leaders in CAPE or ACSI who can help.


5. Volunteer! Offer to provide a faith-based perspective wherever there seems to be an opportunity.


6. Remember that each advocacy group represents a perspective. Be careful to join advocacy groups that reflect or openly accept a distinctly Christian worldview. Some of the largest and most recognized early education advocacy organizations privately oppose faith-based education.


Take Part in New Initiatives


As difficult as it is to balance leading an early education program and watching new developments, everyone should find ways to get information from appropriate sources and stay informed about current policy and funding trends. Acting and reacting aggressively to potential changes will be key. Early educators have significant expertise and calling—a wealth of potential resources.


All early educators are needed to help in this changing landscape. For more information, contact:


• Dr. Merle Skinner: merle_skinner@champion.org • Your ACSI Regional Director: www.acsi.org


• The ACSI Early Education Resources Department: www.earlyeducation@acsi.org


• Mr. George Tryfiates, ACSI National Legislative Director: george_tryfiates@acsi.org


• Your state CAPE (Council for American Private Education) affiliate


Dr. Merle Skinner has his undergraduate degree in child development from the University of Pittsburgh, his masters in organizational leadership from Geneva College, and his doctorate in counseling psychology from Argosy University. He has worked in the field since 1980 as a program supervisor for infant toddler programming, preschool director, Christian school administrator, adjunct professor, and clinical counselor. He has been the chair of the CAPE Early Education Task Force, works regularly in public advocacy for Christian education, and served on a Pennsylvania governor’s task force on early education.


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