Yes for Tulsa Kids Coalition Issues Report and Calls For Targeted Investments for Out-of-School Time and Childcare Affordability.
Coalition of working parents, child advocates, and childcare providers releases comprehensive study documenting impact of early childhood and expanded learning opportunities
TULSA, OK –– The Yes for Tulsa Kids! Coalition announced today the release of its new comprehensive report documenting the critical need for sustained investment in Tulsa’s children through early childhood and expanded learning programs. The coalition, composed of parents, child advocates, childcare providers and community leaders has spent three years analyzing the impact of previous investments in Tulsa’s youth and studying successful models in other cities to find sustainable ways to ensure that Tulsa children are set up to thrive.
“Our coalition is made up of varied perspectives, which we think makes us well-suited to speak on this important issue,” said Karen Tilkin, Executive Director and CEO of CAP Tulsa. “We are working parents and professionals who understand the need for more affordable childcare options, we’re educators and child advocates who understand the difference afterschool programming makes in academic performance in the classroom, but mostly, we are Tulsans who believe every child in this city deserves investment in their success.”
The report details the coalition’s research showing that when Tulsa had resources to invest in its children, the results were measurable. The coalition reports increased school attendance, enhanced summer learning outcomes, and expanded pathways to adulthood for participating youth. However, with the expiration of previous funding streams, the report warns that these gains are at risk of being lost.
“The path to success for our children is clear,” Lauren Sivak, Executive Director of the Opp Project, LLC said. “With so many funding cuts, without a new commitment or new revenue source the gains for Tulsa’s children are slipping away. At the same time, the cost of childcare is becoming prohibitive for too many Tulsa families and state-level cuts will make things harder.”
The report also emphasizes that addressing these challenges requires a community-wide response.
“One organization or agency cannot solve this problem alone,” said Michael DuPont, Director of Tulsa Grantmaking for Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies. “It’s a community challenge that calls for community action if we hope to enable the success of working families and children across the city.”
Drawing on Tulsa’s history of successful community investments, such as the sales tax increase championed by then Mayor Jim Inhofe in 1980 or the success of Vision Tulsa, the coalition calls for a renewed commitment to the city’s youngest residents.
“Tulsa has always been a city that takes care of itself. We’ve done it before, and we believe it’s time to do it again, this time for our children,” Sivak stated.
The full report is available at yesfortulsakids.org. Community members are invited to review the findings and join the coalition’s efforts. A series of community conversations to hear directly from Tulsa families and talk more about the report’s findings are slated to begin later this spring.
About Yes! for Tulsa Kids Coalition
The Yes! for Tulsa Kids Coalition is a grassroots organization of parents, educators, childcare providers, and community advocates dedicated to ensuring every child in Tulsa has access to quality childcare and expanded learning opportunities.