We’re Not Going Back—And That’s Okay
- On Key Strategies
- 7 minutes ago
- 3 min read
By Shannon Jones
For those of us who’ve spent our careers working to improve outcomes for young children and families, there’s been a lot of hoping lately. Hoping that the political pendulum will swing back. That bipartisanship will bounce back. That we’ll be able to get back to the “good ol’ days” when early childhood was treated as a neutral, even noble, policy space.
But here’s the hard truth: we’re not going back.
And if we want to make real progress—for babies, for moms, for families—we have to stop wishing for a different political landscape and start working within the one we’ve got.
That means understanding that in states like mine, Republicans are in control. That’s not a problem to work around—it’s a reality to work with. And in fact, it’s an opportunity.
As a Republican elected official, I know firsthand that many of the values that drive early childhood investments already live at the heart of conservative thinking. We just have to be willing to meet those values where they are.
Want to talk about protecting life? Then let’s talk about how many of our children still don’t make it to their first birthday—and how targeted supports for families during pregnancy and infancy can change that.
Want to strengthen families? Then let’s look at the data showing that home visiting, early intervention, and parent-focused programs reduce abuse, improve school readiness, and help build safe, stable home environments.
Want to support work and economic growth? Then we need to start giving serious attention to policies like refundable child tax credits. Yes, refundable. Because a tax credit that only helps higher-income families doesn’t reward work for everyone. And if we say we want to support parents who are doing the right thing—going to work, raising children, and staying afloat in a volatile economy—then the credit needs to reach them, too.
Same goes for paid family leave. Framed right, it’s not a progressive talking point—it’s a pro-family policy that honors the central role of parents, strengthens infant health, and supports a culture of life. The private sector can’t shoulder this alone. Government has a role to play in ensuring no parent has to choose between bonding with a newborn and keeping a paycheck.
This isn’t about softening our message to “appeal” to conservatives. It’s about sharpening our policy priorities to align with what’s politically actionable right now.
Too often, I see nonprofit and philanthropic leaders focused on the language of the moment, not the leverage. But language alone doesn’t move legislation. And sentiment doesn’t shift state budgets.
We need to focus less on what sounds good in a press release and more on what’s likely to survive committee markup.
In this environment, winning means doing the work to reframe—not just repeat. It means recognizing that smart strategy beats nostalgic advocacy. That data and discipline—not just passion—are what will get us across the finish line.
At On Key Strategies, that’s what we help organizations do. We bring clarity, relevance, and precision to your advocacy—so you can make your case in a way that resonates with the people who actually hold the pen.
The future of early childhood policy depends on our ability to build coalitions that cross ideological lines. That means embracing a more modern conservative agenda—one that truly supports the families we say we value.
We’ve got the data. We’ve got the stories. And if we’re willing to align, we’ve got a real shot at impact.
Shannon Jones is the founder of On Key Strategies, a consulting firm helping mission-driven organizations craft smart, strategic advocacy aligned with today’s political realities. A longtime public servant, she currently serves as a Republican County Commissioner in Ohio and is a former member of the Ohio General Assembly, where she led efforts to improve maternal and infant health, expand early learning, and advance bipartisan child and family policies.