Blog
Senators learn of COVID-19 impacts on state’s early childhood workforce and education system
FFN's Elizabeth Everett tesified at a legislative hearing for LR390 this week, along with experts from the Nebraska Early Childhood Workforce Commission, the state’s early childhood system, business and child care.
NECC’s Toolkit program helps child care providers acquire state licensure
The Nebraska Early Childhood Collaborative’s Licensing Toolkit program helps unlicensed and new child care providers on their journey to state licensure through hands-on support, resources and materials to meet licensing requirements and membership in a professional network for family child care business owners.
Early childhood programs’ success, community vitality focus of conference
Nearly 700 civic, business and education leaders, from 99 Nebraska communities, 20 states and Washington, D.C., came together for the third annual Thriving Children, Families, and Communities conference Monday to focus on quality early childhood programs, which became even more critical with the pandemic and their connection to community economic development and vitality.
FFN’s Policy Leadership Academy plans to recruit next class in spring 2021
First Five Nebraska, in partnership with Communities for Kids, launched the Nebraska Early Childhood Policy Leadership Academy in 2019 to engage policymakers on early childhood policy at the state level and in their communities.
Elevate20: A virtual business Summit for child care providers is now live!
Elevate20 is a business conference designed specifically to meet the needs of Nebraska family child care homes and child care centers in the areas of technology, human resources, marketing, leadership and finances. The conference is online and on-demand this year and is live through September 12.
Lack of child care costs Nebraskans $745 million per year, report finds
A new study by the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, Bureau of Business Research for First Five Nebraska finds that gaps in child care availability negatively impact family income, employer profitability and state revenue.
Nebraska Legislature: 2020 early childhood policy highlights
The 106th Nebraska Legislature adjourned sine die August 13. Here's an overview and summary of bills affecting early childhood policy from this year's session.
School readiness tax credit program revised to benefit more child care providers
Governor Ricketts signs LB266 into law, giving self-employed child care providers and those classified as S-Corps access to the school readiness tax credit, as intended in the original legislation.
FFN to work with senators on two interim studies
FFN will work with Senator DeBoer and Senator Stinner on interim studies this year, looking at accessing services through the Early Development Network and the fiscal and economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Nebraska's early childhood workforce and early childhood care and education system.
Statewide campaign highlights relationship between quality child care and economic development
First Five Nebraska launched My Nebraska Story this week, a statewide campaign inviting business leaders, economic developers and others to become involved in strengthening the availability of quality child care in their communities.
Nebraska Legislature reconvenes July 20
The Legislatlure will reconvene July 20 for the final 17 days of this year's session, which was suspended in March due to COVID-19 emergency. Here's a look at what the remainder of the session holds and the status of bills FFN supports.
The FFN Digest
Read at a glance the latest news on early childhood in Nebraska, including the ongoing public health emergency and how public and private sector leaders are responding to the challenge of supporting communities, child care providers, families and children.