News & Media

The Oklahoma Partnership for School Readiness (OPSR) is thrilled to announce the receipt of $500,000 from private philanthropy in support of the Oklahoma Clearinghouse for Early Childhood Success, a statewide program focused on elevating best practices in early childhood development.

The Oklahoma Partnership for School Readiness (OPSR) Foundation board has named Carrie Williams as the organization’s new executive director. Williams joined OPSR as chief operating officer in May and has been working alongside interim executive director Dr. Amy Emerson to ensure Oklahoma’s early childhood system remains strong, cohesive and vigilant against pandemic challenges. Dr. Emerson was named interim executive director in February following Debra Andersen’s almost 11-year tenure as executive director.

The Oklahoma Partnership for School Readiness (OPSR) is pleased to name Dr. Amy Emerson as its interim director. Dr. Emerson currently works as a senior advisor to Early Learning Works by Tulsa Educare as well as in the private sector as a physician and small business owner.

Oklahoma’s top early childhood advocacy group and the state’s only early childhood research institute are partnering to offer a new, multi-session conference to highlight early childhood research, initiatives, and policy.

The Oklahoma Partnership for School Readiness (OPSR) is pleased to share “Estimating the Cost of Quality Early Childhood Care & Education in Oklahoma” by Lynn A. Karoly and Stephanie J. Walsh with the RAND Corporation. During the pandemic, providers have been forced to operate at a reduced capacity and families have struggled to find affordable care, pushing our early childhood system to the breaking point. This study’s data on the financial impact of low enrollment sheds light on why it has been difficult for providers to stay in business during the pandemic and offers possible solutions for the future.