The second session of the 109th Nebraska Legislature adjourned sine die April 17, wrapping up a busy 60-day, second session in the biennium. State senators introduced 547 bills this year, adding to the 715 from last year's 90-day session, for a combined 1,262 pieces...
Tag: jason prokop
Nebraska Early Childhood Policy Leadership Academy kicks off 2024-25 program
The 2024-25 class of the Nebraska Early Childhood Policy Leadership Academy (PLA) kicked off October 9 in Kearney with a new class of 24 citizen advocates. A program of First Five Nebraska, the PLA is the state’s premier, nonpartisan leadership initiative focused on...
State Senator Eliot Bostar receives Nebraska Early Childhood Policy Champion award
State Senator Eliot Bostar (District 29) is the inaugural recipient of the Nebraska Early Childhood Policy Champion Award at a presentation ceremony at the State Capitol. The award was founded this year by First Five Nebraska and will be presented annually to...
Historic Nebraska Child Care Tax Credit package signed into law
For information about the new tax credits, visit NebraskaChildCareTaxCredit.org and SchoolReadinessTaxCredit.org
2022-23 Policy Leadership Academy kicks off in Broken Bow
“It’s about long-term momentum.” It takes a lot to give young children the best possible start in life. It takes cohesive, resilient families who are prepared to address children’s earliest developmental needs. It takes quality early childhood services and supports to...
Early Childhood Policy Leadership Academy concludes with senator visits
Our Early Childhood Policy Leadership Academy Class 3 brought six months of advocacy training and their years of community expertise to a powerful culmination with an in-person visit to the State Capitol on February 16. This event is the highlight of each class of the...
Chamber economic development panel: Child care is crucial to addressing workforce crisis
High-quality child care and early education bolsters Nebraska's businesses, helps grow local economies and supports working parents while providing safe, nurturing environments for young children. That was the message from a panel led by First Five Nebraska at the...
Policy Fellows Program seeks connections between early childhood research, policy
First Five Nebraska policy staff and early childhood researchers from all five University of Nebraska campuses kicked off the second cohort of the Policy Fellows Program recently. The Nebraska Academy for Early Childhood Research (NAECR) and First Five Nebraska began...
FFN testifies on using ARPA to invest in early childhood workforce
FFN Director Jason Prokop said ARPA funds can help stabilize Nebraska’s early childhood workforce in testimony before the Appropriations Committee this week.
Incoming Administration proposes further economic relief for child care
Early childhood advocates received more detailed information about the Biden administration’s plans to increase the economic stability of the struggling child care industry—and the financial stability of working parents who depend on it. The $1.9 trillion proposal...
What is access to reliable, quality child care really worth to Nebraska?
The answer may be as much as a 13% annual return on every dollar we invest in high-quality programs for young children, especially those most at risk. On the other hand, Nebraska researchers say we may lose nearly $1.4 billion annually if we fail to strengthen the...
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.











