As the name suggests, our Policy and Action Center is about informing you then giving you the tools you need to make a difference.

Below and to the right, you’ll find links to both the Michigan and federal editions of Capitol Corner. The federal edition provides a fresh, weekly recap of policy and legislative matters that impact education. The Michigan edition is written by Matt Gillard, the Early Childhood Investment Corporation’s legislative affairs consultant, and provides an insider’s view of legislative budget matters and how they impact early childhood here in Michigan. Here's an excerpt from the Friday, Oct. 1 edition:

The Legislature completed work on the fiscal year 2011 General Fund budgets this week, one day before the October 1st deadline. After numerous failed attempts, the House of Representatives was finally able to pass the state employee retirement reforms last week. That action allowed the remaining General Fund budgets to be completed this week. The budget agreement was cobbled together with a combination of spending cuts, policy reforms, and one-time federal money. The Legislature can be commended for completing the budget before the deadline and therefore averting another government shutdown, but they did very little to address the serious structural deficit that our state faces and the problems looming ahead for the next administration and Legislature are massive. The incoming administration and Legislature will immediately inherit a budget deficit of around $1.6 billion and a tax structure that is undeniably antiquated. MORE

Also below you’ll also find a link to national and Congressional policy reports and briefs, as well as a link to even more information on early childhood issues and legislation.

Once you’ve armed yourself with knowledge, we encourage you to share that knowledge with lawmakers and media by using the easy-to-use tools under Take Action Now.