 A big thank you to the Rotary Club of Kenosha for their generous grant supporting Building Our Future’s early childhood education efforts! Their investment is helping improve early literacy outcomes for young children across Kenosha County.
We’ve already put this support to work with the launch of our Literacy Asset Map—a tool that connects families to local reading resources. Explore and share the map today: https://www.buildingourfuturekc.org/literacy-asset-map.html Together, we’re building a stronger future—one reader at a time.   Building Our Future is a member of the Wisconsin Partnership, a statewide coalition aimed at putting 10,000 more young people on a path to economic mobility by 2030. Read below how we convened with the rest of the Wisconsin Partnership to strategize around systems-level impact. Learn more about the Wisconsin Partnership here. In a time of urgency and growing opportunity, four regional organizations have come together with a shared mission: to ensure every child in Wisconsin has the opportunity to thrive, starting with access to high-quality early learning and evidence-based literacy instruction. Earlier this month, the Wisconsin Partnership convened at the Johnson Foundation at Wingspread in Racine. This two-day gathering brought together regional leaders, state partners, and national advocates committed to transforming early childhood and early literacy systems in communities across Wisconsin. The Wisconsin Partnership is a statewide coalition of four local organizations--Achieve Brown County, Building Our Future, Higher Expectations, and Milwaukee Succeeds—that are part of the national StriveTogether network. While each works independently in its own region, the Partnership aligns around policy development, advocacy, and implementation to drive equitable cradle-to-career outcomes across the state. Together, they’re committed to putting 10,000 more young people on a path to economic mobility by 2030. This convening also included partners from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI), StriveTogether, Cornerstone Government Affairs, the Greater Milwaukee Foundation, and local leaders from Racine Unified and Kenosha Unified School Districts. Strengthening Alignment Around Outcomes that Matter The convening opened with peer-led breakout sessions centered on the StriveTogether Cradle-to-Career outcome areas that shape lifelong success including: kindergarten readiness, early literacy, postsecondary enrollment, and employment. Throughout this convening, both early literacy and kindergarten readiness (early childhood education) emerged again and again. Advancing Shared Policy Through Local Action Throughout the convening, partners explored how to turn shared values into aligned action at the local and state levels. A workshop facilitated by the StriveTogether Policy team focused on developing local policy agendas, scoping regional work and insights into cohesive statewide storytelling. Federal updates from Cornerstone Government Affairs helped situate the group within the broader policy landscape, while discussions with DPI provided clarity on Act 20 implementation timelines and funding expectations. Conversations emphasized the importance of lifting up community voice, tracking real impact, and building local capacity to lead this work. To ground these policy discussions in lived experience, district leaders from Racine and Kenosha shared how their schools are navigating the early implementation of Act 20, from shifting instructional practices to supporting teachers on the frontlines of change. Turning Alignment Into Action The convening also served as a reflection point for the growing influence and impact of the Wisconsin Partnership. Over the past several months, the four local partnerships have taken bold, coordinated steps to advance the state’s early literacy and early childhood agendas:
These efforts reflect the growing power of the Wisconsin Partnership to influence not only local conversations—but statewide policy. Looking Ahead: A Shared Commitment to Systems Transformation The Wisconsin Partnership knows that no single organization—or region—can transform systems alone. This work requires coordinated leadership, deep trust, and a unified voice. As the state negotiates the investment of millions in early literacy and navigates through Child Care Counts funding, the Partnership will continue advocating for sustainable, high-impact solutions that center children, families, and equity. We are grateful to every presenter, partner, and participant who made this convening possible—and to the communities across Wisconsin whose futures inspire this work. To learn more about the Wisconsin Partnership, visit: https://www.buildingourfuturekc.org/wisconsin-partnership.html   Kenosha, Wis., July 3, 2025 - Coalition members of the Wisconsin Partnership and their hundreds of partners across Wisconsin thank Gov. Tony Evers and legislative leaders in the Wisconsin Legislature for making a historic $330 million investment in the state’s child care sector. Working together for Wisconsin’s children and families, this significant commitment includes $110 million in direct payments to child care providers to help them keep their doors open and lights on, cut child care wait lists, and lower out-of-pocket child care costs for working families. Notably, the budget also includes an ongoing state investment of general purpose revenue directly into child care for the first time. This historic provision creates a $65 million school readiness program at the Department of Children and Families, supporting 4-year-olds in child care programs. Finally, families who rely on Wisconsin Shares will benefit from investments made to ensure greater access to affordable care. These investments are a fantastic start to what must be a continued and concerted effort by lawmakers to listen and respond to the voices and needs of families, educators and providers in seeking proactive, sustainable support for a thriving early care and education sector in Wisconsin. The state’s overall well-being and long-term outlook in academic success, the workforce and broader economy all stand to gain. Reflections from Leadership Gregory M. Wesley, JD - President and CEO, Greater Milwaukee Foundation: “This state budget reflects the growing understanding that child care is inextricably linked to the educational, social and economic health of Wisconsin. An accessible and affordable child care sector allows the parents of young children to work, which provides employers with a deeper talent pool, all while giving kids a nurturing educational foundation that will serve them throughout school and life. We must ensure that the investments don’t stop here but continue to grow until Wisconsin is a model for early childhood education in the country.” Vincent Lyles - Executive Director, Milwaukee Succeeds: “We never stop striving for the best possible outcomes for our youngest learners. For far too long, the business model for child care has been untenable, pushing families, providers and educators to the breaking point. This budget is a step toward putting children and the adults who support them first. We will continue to make sure their voices and interests are at the center of our collective efforts.” Tatjana Bicanin - Executive Director, Building Our Future: “This investment is a game-changer for Kenosha County families—helping stabilize the child care sector, expand access for working parents, and strengthen the foundation for early learning and future success. We’re hopeful this marks the beginning of long-term, sustained commitment to the systems that support children and working families alike.” Sarah Beckman, MBA - Executive Director, Achieve Brown County: “Wisconsin schools, kids and families will benefit from priorities in this budget cycle, but our work as a Wisconsin Partnership does not end here. We look forward to continued work with policy makers and elected and appointed officials to use this budget cycle as a starting point and launching pad to ensure early care, K-12 and post-secondary education systems continue to be prioritized and strengthened.” Elizabeth Erickson - Executive Director, Higher Expectations for Racine County: “This investment is a critical step toward building a stronger, more accessible child care system in Racine County. It helps ensure families can get the support they need to thrive. Still, there is more work to do to ensure every Racine County resident has the opportunity and resources to succeed in education and employment. We remain committed to working alongside our community and policymakers to create lasting, systemic change.” In addition to this critical support for our state’s youngest learners, their families and their educators, the 2025-27 state budget makes investments that span the educational landscape and improve the trajectory of Wisconsin’s future, including the largest ever increase in special education reimbursement and investments in our University System. The release of $50 million by the Joint Committee on Finance, to support science of reading instruction, will also go a long way to helping Wisconsin students read at grade level. About the Wisconsin Partnership The Wisconsin Partnership is a coalition of local education partnerships from across Wisconsin working in Brown, Kenosha, and Racine counties as well as the City of Milwaukee. We focus our work on early childhood education – including kindergarten readiness and early literacy. Together, we know that for children to succeed, we must transform failing systems and ensure all young people have a pathway to economic mobility. Better systems are grounded in quality data and designed through the authentic engagement of those most directly impacted by our public policies. The Wisconsin Partnership is supported by StriveTogether, The Ballmer Group, and the Greater Milwaukee Foundation. Coalition members include: Achieve Brown County Building Our Future Higher Expectations for Racine County Milwaukee Succeeds
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Our Mission: Together we will engage our community to provide an environment in which all contribute and excel. Our Vision: Everyone achieving personal potential from cradle to career. |
