Aligning Vision and Action for Tennessee’s Young Children

National experts join a fireside chat on reimagining Tennessee’s child care system. We’ll explore what’s broken, highlight the military’s successful child care model, and outline a bold vision for a similar mixed-delivery system for our state backed by strong economic returns.

Forward-thinking employers are tackling child care to solve workforce challenges. This session highlights private sector investments and innovations —alongside available government funds and tax incentives. We’ll also look at the Tri-Share model as a promising blueprint for future Tennessee policy, and what we can learn from states that have implemented it. And we’ll learn about a new TQEE initiative, the TN Business + Family Forum..

Tennesseans are reimagining how to recruit and prepare the next generation of early childhood educators. This session will showcase innovative apprenticeship and work-based learning models, high school career and technical education programs, and flexible community college and university pathways that leverage online coursework and creatively blended funding streams.

Competitive compensation is key to recruiting and retaining a skilled early educator workforce. This session will highlight Tennessee’s innovative approaches, including providing free child care for the child care workforce and the WAGE$ program, which supplements pay and rewards educational advancement. We’ll examine how these solutions—and additional policy strategies—can strengthen the workforce while making child care a more sustainable career.

Tennessee voters strongly support investing in early childhood and families—but how will that shape the state’s policy agenda in 2026 and beyond? This session will present results from a new statewide voter survey on child and family policy priorities. State policymakers will then offer their perspectives on why these issues matter, how the upcoming gubernatorial election may influence the landscape, and what to expect in the 2026 legislative session.

Healthy child development starts well before birth and requires strong family supports. We’ll explore policies and strategies backed by evidence —from community-based doulas to paid family leave. The conversation will then turn to SNAP and Medicaid policies and how recent federal changes could affect Tennessee.

ZERO TO THREE’s HealthySteps program provides early childhood development support to families where they are most likely to access it – the pediatric primary care office. In Tennessee, one behavioral health leader is pioneering a HealthySteps innovation — integrating behavioral health in rural pediatric offices through community health workers.

The Bright Start Change Maker Awards honor bold, visionary leaders from our Bright Start Tennessee Network communities who are making a lasting difference for Tennessee’s youngest children and their families. They are the movers, shakers, and bridge-builders driving progress across Tennessee’s early childhood systems.  We’ll also be saluting our 2025 Early Educator Award winners – 10 dedicated, passionate teachers who represent the best in field.  Join us as we celebrate their extraordinary contributions to laying the foundations for children’s future learning and success across communities statewide.

Our conference speakers will be available and seated at designated tables so attendees may follow up with questions and dialogue on Summit-related topics.