Advocacy

Every part of the Nemours BrightStart! program is designed to raise awareness about the warning signs of early reading failure and to prepare every child for reading success. Nemours BrightStart! raises a strong voice to educate business leaders, early childhood educators, and health care professionals about the vital role literacy plays in child development and lifelong success — and the link between reading ability and child health.

We search out opportunities to influence public policy at the local, state, and national levels related to developing successful readers and partner with like-minded organizations to raise awareness of the conditions that affect reading ability.

• Download Policy Brief (PDF)

Examples of Recent Activities

• Presentations at national policy and research forums: National Association for the Education of Young Children, Professional Development Institute, National Association for the Education of Young Children, National Head Start Research Conference, International Dyslexia Association, National Association of Child Care Resource & Referral, Agencies Policy Institute and Young Child with Special Needs Conference

• Presentations at a briefing entitled “Early Literacy, Military Readiness and Health,” held by Florida Senators Bill Nelson and Marco Rubio

• Participation on Florida’s Early Learning Standards writing committee

• Participation with a Nemours BrightStart! large mobile unit at Children’s Day in Tallahassee, FL each year

• Meetings with top representatives in the Department of Education’s Office of Early Learning in Florida and Delaware, Florida Agency for Workforce Innovation, and Just Read, Florida!

• Presentation of spoken and written comments for the national Striving Readers Comprehensive Literacy program

• Collaboration with national government and nonprofit organizations on early literacy efforts through the Read It Loud! campaign, including the Library of Congress, Center for the Book, American Library Association, U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Family Literacy, First Book, and Boys & Girls Clubs

Nemours BrightStart! is now recognized as an expert on reading development and child health with top corporate, nonprofit, and government organizations. We are committed to doing everything possible to help all children reach their full potential in reading and in life.