Prichard Committee Announces Sunsetting of Strong Start KY and Commonwealth Institute for Parent Leadership

Oct. 9, 2026
Contact: Brigitte Blom, President and CEO, The Prichard Committee
brigitte@prichardcommittee.org

LEXINGTON, Ky–The Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence today announced that the Strong Start KY coalition and the Commonwealth Institute for Parent Leadership (CIPL) will conclude as stand-alone initiatives. The core commitments to early childhood and parent leadership will continue through the Committee’s broader work.

Strong Start KY, established in 2007, united early childhood advocates around a shared belief that every child deserves a strong foundation from birth. The initiative elevated the importance of high-quality early childhood development through coalition-building, business engagement, and policy advocacy. Strong Start KY advocated for a unified system of early childhood and, over the years, achieved improved investment and policies in home visiting, preschool, and childcare. A critical milestone was a marque event in 2015 at the Kentucky Governor’s Mansion with all five then-living governors present.

The Commonwealth Institute for Parent Leadership (CIPL) was established in 1997 to train, support, and empower parents to become effective leaders and advocates for educational excellence within their community’s schools. CIPL trained over 3,000 Fellows, combining leadership development with locally driven parent-led projects to improve education. The Institute was recognized nationally as the premier model for authentic family involvement in schools and was replicated in multiple other states. Hundreds of CIPL Fellows went on to serve on their local boards of education, school-based decision-making councils, and the Kentucky Board of Education.

“As any initiative should, Strong Start KY and CIPL met a moment when focus was needed, they achieved positive impact and have had ripple effects that expanded and deepened their reach,” said Brigitte Blom, president and CEO of the Prichard Committee. “We are deeply grateful to the people who built and sustained these initiatives and to the thousands of Kentuckians who contributed to their impact. As these initiatives conclude in their current form, we remain committed to collaborating with myriad organizations who have enriched the space of early childhood and parent engagement – at both the state and local levels.”

The transition will allow the Prichard Committee to focus its resources on two key initiatives of critical importance now: strengthening community-school partnerships and ensuring a high school diploma reflects a young person’s readiness for success after graduation.

The Committee will continue its core work, publishing the biennial Big Bold Future: National Rankings report and Groundswell Community Profiles; studying emerging issues in education and informing the public and policymakers; as well as engaging Kentuckians from all backgrounds in a shared effort to improve outcomes from early childhood through postsecondary education – in service to advancing individual and state economic mobility.

“The work does not end here; it evolves,” Blom said. “Parent leadership and early childhood will always be components of Prichard’s core work because both are essential to achieving education excellence. As we continue mobilizing Kentuckians at the state and local levels to move Kentucky to the top tier of all states in education outcomes, informed and engaged parents and our littlest learners getting off to a strong start will continue to have a place in our broader agenda.”

“The Prichard Committee remains committed to the key components of excellence in education which we have long held as important,” said Dr. Julia L. Roberts, Board Chair of the Prichard Committee. “While a shifting focus is both wise and necessary, parent leadership and the education of young children remain priorities for the Committee.”

More information on the legacy of these initiatives and about the Prichard Committee can be found at prichardcommittee.org.

About Strong Start KY
Since 2007, Strong Start KY has convened early childhood advocates to advance shared priorities for Kentucky children from birth through third grade. Its work has included advancing access to high-quality early learning, supporting families and strengthening Kentucky’s early care and education system.

About the Commonwealth Institute for Parent Leadership
The Commonwealth Institute for Parent Leadership (CIPL) has helped families, schools and communities work together so every child in Kentucky can succeed. Through learning opportunities, leadership development and local projects, CIPL trained more than 3,000 Fellows to become informed advocates and partners in education improvement.

About the Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence 

Since 1983, the Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence has studied priority issues, informed the public and policymakers about effective practices, and mobilized citizens, business leaders, families, students and other stakeholders to advance education excellence in Kentucky. Its mission is to promote vastly improved education and upward mobility for all Kentuckians.