With solid evidence that children who are healthy and ready to learn when they enter kindergarten have a better chance for school and life success, state and local policymakers are working to build comprehensive, coordinated early childhood systems. As policymakers and program administrators secure funding and engage public and private partners, they face challenges at all levels. Providers often must juggle federal, state, and local dollars to provide full-day programs that include both educational and childcare components. Meanwhile, policymakers and providers lack complete information on the number of children being served in programs and the number of families whose needs are not being met.

Please join us for a web conference to discuss innovative practices and policy options aimed at improving access to and the quality of early childhood education and childcare. Speakers will address challenges providers face in offering a seamless delivery of services and the efforts of state-level Early Childhood Advisory Councils to coordinate services for children up to age five. Panelists will also discuss the importance of having sound data to monitor program effectiveness.

Speakers

• Sarah Daily, senior policy analyst, NGA Center for Best Practices

• Harriet Dichter, deputy secretary, Office of Child Development and Early Learning, Pennsylvania Departments of Public Welfare and Education

• Robert Goerge, research fellow, Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago

• Moderator: Patrick Boyle, editor, Youth Today

Early Childhood Programs Supply and Demand