Tomorrow Builders Launch Design Phase, Call on Parents + Educators to join Solution Teams

Tomorrow Builders Fellowship


March-June 2019 | Seeing the system

Over the last four months, we, the Tomorrow Builders, have heard the dreams of over 750 community members (and counting!) across Saint Louis City and County. We’ve researched until our eyes crossed, bonded until our eyes filled with tears of righteous anger, and reimagined early childhood education (ECE) until our eyes shone with the hope of a better tomorrow.

We’ve accomplished a lot over the last four months.

  • We shared our stories and grounded ourselves in a shared vision.

  • We deepened our understanding of local racism and systemic inequity and dissected the current workings of St. Louis’s early childhood education system.

  • We learned about Tulsa’s implementation of universal Pre-K and Detroit’s grassroot organizing efforts on our two Learning Trips.

  • We analyzed existing local, state, and federal early childhood education policies. 

  • We developed a working problem definition and a research plan to assemble evidence.

  • We analyzed other systems-change processes and developed a plan for our solution design phase. 

  • We built relationships with partners and reached out to invite more leaders directly impacted by the current system to join us.

Throughout this process, what’s been clear is the necessity and urgency for collective, equity-centered problem solving. With this top of mind, we invite you to join us!


July 20, 2019 | design phase Kickoff

Early Childhood Education Dream + Design Kickoff

July 20th, 10AM – 12PM
Innovation Hall, 4220 Duncan Ave

What’s your dream for early childhood education in St. Louis?

To date, over 750 St. Louis residents have shared their dreams with the Tomorrow Builders—and more dreams continue to flow in!

Our next step: Co-create a shared dream to guide the design and implementation of solutions. This will kickoff the Early Childhood Education Solution Teams, which the Tomorrow Builders welcome you to join. Together, we have the power to build a better tomorrow!

Childcare provided. Free & open to the public.


July-October 2019 | Solution Teams Design + Action Plan

Sign up by July 1st for one of our Solution Teams to be part of a crucial, four-month, community-centered design process. We’ll work to help fix this broken, underfunded system so all kids have access to high quality education and care.

Through an equity lens, each team will focus on one of five areas, aligning to IFF’s recent needs assessment report, First Step to Equity:

  • Quality

  • Funding & Access

  • Governance & Coordination

  • Workforce

  • Family Well-being.

 

We are Looking For Committee Members Who Are…

  • *ECE educators, caregivers, and providers of all kinds

  • *Parents of kids ages 0-5

  • Academics and researchers with experience or knowledge specific to different ECE topics

  • Civic, business, and philanthropic leaders passionate about ECE

  • Social sector leaders whose work overlaps or aligns with ECE

  • St. Louisans who bring diverse lived experiences

  • Committed and passionate about creating change through an equity lens

  • Trustworthy + collaborative

*eligible to receive funding support

So, what do you say? Can you spare a few hours over the next four months to ensure a lifetime of better outcomes for our youngest and most vulnerable learners?


Fall 2019 | Playbook Release

We’ll release our playbook that builds on community visioning, best practices, and regional research to outline specific, actionable steps we can take to improve our region’s ECE system.


2020 | take Action

After that—the Tomorrow Builders will organize and advocate for the playbook solutions to become a reality. Sign the form below to be sent a copy of the playbook!


We are the Tomorrow Builders, a diverse, passionate, and powerful group of parents, educators, activists, academics, school and civic leaders who are tired of the abuse, chaos, racism, and inequity harming kids aged 0-5 in our region.

So, we’re doing something about it, and we’re doing it now.