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, equitable birth-to-eight ecosystem.
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:
- Campaign for Grade-Level Reading
- Early Learning and The Every Student Succeeds Act
- Family Forward NC
- First 2000 Days
- Local Funding for Early Learning
- NC Pathways to Grade-Level Reading
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-eight learning environments with regular attendance. Learn about the issues that support children’s optimal development beginning at birth.
Partner With Us
Latest News
The Family and Medical Leave Act is 30 Years Old. What’s Next for Working Families?
You may have noticed the conversation across social media celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). And you probably noticed these celebration posts are accompanied by calls for a new national policy to give workers…
Full Release of Pathways Action Map and Data Dashboard Provides Snapshot of NC Early Childhood Landscape
The full Pathways Action Map and the Pathways Data Dashboard, its companion tool, are now accessible. The Action Map provides detailed information about initiatives across the state whose work advances a shared vision where all North Carolina children, regardless of…
2023 Eggs and Issues: Prioritizing NC Funding & Education Pay
All eyes and ears were on education funding and teacher pay at the Public School Forum of North Carolina annual Eggs and Issues conference. The event was held in person at the McKimmon Center, on Tuesday, January 31, 2023, for…
Perspectives, Possibilities & Personal Stories Revealed for NC Child Care & Economy from NCECF Report, Webinar
What’s one thing everybody is impacted by, whether or not they have kids, and seemingly talking about these days? Child care. The intersection of early care and learning with our economy’s ability to function has penetrated a noisy news cycle…for…