What is the Mayor’s Commission for Children?

Since 2004, the Mayor’s Commission for Children has conducted extensive research and advocacy work in the field of early childhood development. A special division of local government, the Commission is devoted to being “the voice of children in the [Springfield] community,” according to executive director Brigitte Marrs.

There are nine people that are confirmed by the city council to serve on the commission, plus a board of advisors of about 15. When selecting members, the city council hopes to “encompass all aspects of services in the community,” in the words of Marrs.

“We have one from Drury, one from MSU, Mercy, Cox, Springfield school district…” Marss explained of the Commission itself. “We try to make sure all the voices are around the table.”

What does the Commission do?

Marss referred to city ordinances surrounding the Commission to describe their goal to “provide services for children from birth to age five, from social services to school to faith-based programs.”

She also described certain milestones that childhood development experts say kids at certain ages should be able to reach. Children are screened for vision and hearing and necessary motor skills, such as being able to use scissors safely, and language skills.

“Sometimes it’s just soft skills,” explained Marss. “Can they sit still and listen for a certain amount of time? Motor skills to hold a pair of scissors? At a certain age, there is a list of things they should be able to do.”

Marss continued: “All kids need to be ready to learn by the time they reach kindergarten.”

Some of the Commission’s stated goals, provided by Marss, are to reduce child abuse that often is a result of not knowing how to parent. Organizations like Parents as Teachers are instrumental for the Commission in educating families on caring for young children.

2018 study of kindergarten students

One of the main responsibilities of the Commission is to conduct research. Since 2006, this research has been compiled into several comprehensive studies complied by Missouri State University. Kindergarten teachers are asked to respond to survey questions regarding their students to provide data on what kinds of factors impact young learners.

“If they’ve had any kind of preschool setting, they have already learned those skills and aren’t so overwhelmed,” Marss stated.

The last study, conducted in 2018, showed that one in four kindergarten students in Springfield was unprepared for kindergarten. One of the biggest differences between students seemed to lie in whether students qualified for free or reduced lunches.

Marss illustrated the connection between free lunch and student performance. “Sometimes without free lunches, a family simply can’t afford to send their kids to school.”

To reduce the impact of poverty on student performance, the Mayors Commission for Children has worked with local politicians like Sen. Bob Dixon (R) and Rep. Crystal Quade (D) to propose small tax increases to fund greater investment in early childhood development.

“This is our next workforce,” Marss said. “Investing early is best for the community. Throw resources in beginning so that you can prevent a problem from ever becoming a problem.”

Article written by Forest Swisher.