Leanne Barrett

Experience

1. Director of Early Childhood Policy and Strategy Campaign Manager

   Rhode Island Kids Count

   Oct 2004 — Present · Providence, RI, US

   Develop and lead RIght from the Start legislative and budget campaign to advance state policies for babies and young children. Draft legislation and lead advocacy for RI Child Care Assistance Program, Early Educator Staffing Crisis, RI Family Home Visiting, Early Intervention, Head Start/Early Head Start, RI Pre-Kindergarten, and state Quality Rating and Improvement System for child care and early learning programs. Also, play an active role in coalitions that secured passage of Rhode Island\'s Paid Family Leave Program and the Rhode Island Sick and Safe Leave Act. Registered lobbyist on child, family, and education issues.Coordinator of Governor-appointed Rhode Island Early Learning Council (20••••24). Coordinator of the Rhode Island Think Babies Campaign (20••••22)- now the RIght from the Start Campaign. Serve on the Permanent Legislative Commission on Child Care.Co-wrote Rhode Island\'s winning application for the Race to the Top - Early Learning Challenge, securing $50 million for the state (20••••16).Led process to develop and launch BrightStars, Rhode Island\'s Quality Rating and Improvement System for child care and early learning programs.Project Director for Rhode Island\'s 20••••13 \"Evidence-Based Home Visiting to Prevent Child Maltreatment\" project - which established the nationally-recognized Nurse-Family Partnership program serving low-income, multiple risk families. Staffed Rhode Island Pre-K Exploration and Design teams leading to launch of Rhode Island\'s Pre-K program, recognized as one of only 5 state Pre-K programs that meet nationally-recognized quality benchmarks. Write numerous data-based publications on young children, families, and early learning topics, including Maternal Depression, Child Care, Paid Family Leave, Head Start, State Pre-K, Home Visiting, Early Language and Literacy, Young Children with Developmental Delays and Disabilities, and Young Children in the Child Welfare System.

Education

• Tufts University

  M.A.

• Brown University

  B.A. with Honors