Together we can achieve a bold vision…
Each North Carolina child has a strong foundation for life-long health, education, and well-being, supported by a comprehensive and equitable care and education system, from prenatal through third grade.
How We Do Our Work
We work to promote understanding, spearhead collaboration, and advance policies to ensure each North Carolina child is on track for lifelong success by the end of third grade. Much of this work happens through our initiatives:
- NC Pathways to Grade-Level Reading
- Family Forward NC
- NC Campaign for Grade-Level Reading
- Care and Learning (CandL)
- EarlyWell
- Local Funding for Early Learning
Supporting Children’s Optimal Development
Each child can have the opportunity to be on track by third grade with aligned policies and practices rooted in child development, including health and development on track beginning at birth, supported and supportive families and communities, and high-quality birth through third grade learning environments with regular attendance. Learn about the issues that support children’s optimal development beginning at birth.
Partner With Us
Latest News
How Early Childhood Professionals can Leverage Medicaid to Improve Outcomes for Children and Families
Recently, we released the final part of the five-part Pathways to Grade-Level Reading Policy and Practice Action Toolkit to provide guidance for how policymakers, advocates, community non-profits, the business community, and other stakeholders can support the well-being of all North…
Get to Know Theresa Roedersheimer, NCECF’s New Executive Director
Theresa Roedersheimer’s journey to executive director of NC Early Childhood Foundation has been fueled by a passion for early childhood development and a commitment to advocating for children and families across North Carolina.
In this conversation with Tracy Zimmerman, co-founder…
NC Employers: Use Your Voice for Child Care
The NC General Assembly is still in session, which means there is still time for our elected officials to address the immediate child care needs of our youngest children, their families, and child care providers across our state. Employers’ voices…
Moving Upstream to Prevention: The Underlying Role of ACEs and Trauma in Children’s Dysregulated Behaviors
Understanding how children’s experiences of trauma in early life contribute to expulsions and exclusionary discipline in early learningYoung children who are expelled from child care and early learning programs miss out on the tremendous benefits that early education has…