Spreading The Basics™ In Order to Close the Achievement Gap

During the webinar, we learned about The Basics principles and how a growing number of cities and counties across the country are saturating their communities with these five easy but powerful parenting principles to ensure every child from every background has a great start in life.

Ronald F. Ferguson, PhD, of Harvard Kennedy School, introduced participants to research underscoring the need for The Basics and described each of these science-based and fun principles — 1. Maximize Love, Manage Stress; 2. Talk, Sing, and Point; 3. Count, Group, and Compare; 4. Explore through Movement and Play; and 5. Read and Discuss Stories — and how community partners can help parents and caregivers of children, ages 0–3, integrate them into their daily lives to close the achievement gap. After describing how Boston is implementing this behavioral-change strategy, engaging trusted providers and utilizing video and print collateral and nudges delivered through text messaging, he shared that The Basics has a robust community toolkit that other communities can use to engage and support parents in their localities.

Ferguson was joined by leaders from three communities that belong to the Basics Learning Network and are using the toolkit to engage and support the parents they serve. These co-presenters reflected the range of partners that can take a lead role in supporting The Basics and the variety of ways the principles can be integrated into existing collaborations and programs.

Cheryl McCallum of the Children’s Museum Houston described how she has incorporated The Basics into the museum’s “Fun-Shops,” which are hands-on workshops for parents and caregivers of young children. She explained that the local health department is playing a lead role in her community, including The Basics in the Welcome Baby resource bags that are being distributed to 10,000 new parents each year.

Lynnette Marshall of Nyack Public Schools in New York shared how her school district is investing in The Basics to close gaps in school readiness, engaging a wide range of partners including the local hospital, YMCA, public libraries and community centers, and the state child care licensing agency.

Susan Shore Schwartz of the  explained how Guilford County, N.C., has integrated The Basics into its third-grade reading campaign, Ready for School, Ready for Life. The partners are reaching new and expectant parents in innovative ways, encouraging employers to share The Basics principles with employees leaving for maternity/paternity leave and utilizing geofencing around birthing centers.