
Building a head of steam rolling into Kindergarten
The first five years of a child’s life are a time of enormous social, emotional, physical, and intellectual growth. For children to grow into successful adults, they need a supportive and healthy early foundation. We know that nearly 1/2 of the children in our community are not prepared to enter kindergarten ready to learn, and we know that children who start out behind, tend to stay behind. In fact, nearly 2/3 of students who reach the fourth grade without proficient reading skills end up on welfare or in prison. We are the community-wide convener in transforming Early Care and Education, leading the Ready for K Alliance, a coalition of over 100 partners working to align strategies and improve early educational attainment.