Tennesseans for Quality Early Education has partnered with Chattanooga 2.0 to promote early learning and close learning gaps via the new Bright Start Tennessee network.
Chattanooga 2.0 is one of six organizations across the state partnering with Tennesseans for Quality Early Education to form the network.
Jennifer Andrews, director of early childhood strategies at Chattanooga 2.0, told the Times Free Press last week that ongoing work from the Early Matters action team of Chattanooga 2.0 laid the foundation for the new partnership.
“What this is going to do for us locally is really bridge the initiatives of Early Matters and the Chattanooga 2.0 action team focused on literacy that we have, as well as the Hamilton County Children’s Cabinet, the city’s Department of Early Learning,” Andrews said. “It’s going to help coordinate and align all of those efforts and then, additionally, it’s going to help us accelerate kind of moving from assessment to action.”
The Early Matters team has conducted needs assessments around child care development, mental health, nutrition and advocacy over the past year, she said. The next step for the Bright Start partnership is development of a plan to address child care and early childhood education issues by June 2022 for implementation by 2025.