Over the past twenty-five years, committed early educators in New Mexico have built sustainable early childhood systems that result in children - especially those at risk for school failure - having equitable access to higher quality early childhood care and education programs. These systems have been built slowly, intentionally, and demonstrate the collaboration of state government, higher education, and community programs.
Dan's leadership of the developoment of this integrated system ha been based on respectful dialogue - providing for the input and involvement of hundreds of stakeholders from throughout the state, national experts, and researchers. Partnerships were established with legislators, philanthropists, and early childhood colleagues. These accomplishments are a testament to Dan's ability to articulate a vision, establish a long-term plan, and systematically motivate change.
With Dan's leadership, New Mexico's early childhood "system of systems" now has, for example:
- A fully-articulated competency-based professional development system with multiple levels of state-issued certification and licensure. Features of the system include:
- Universal course of study at all higher education institutions with common course titles and common syllabi/competencies.
- Universal Pre-K
- Universal Home Visiting
- Three generations of Tiered Quality Rating and Improvement Systems beginning in the mid-90s with corresponding differentiated subsidy rates.
- Early Childhood Investment Zones identified through the mapping of communities where children are most at risk for a number of adverse childhood experiences.
- An increasingly integrated training and technical assistance "system of systems" through the creation of a Training and Technical Assistance "Hub".
