Quality Early Childhood Care

I hope that the public begin to understand the importance of high quality early childhood education over the next five year. The demand for early childhood care and education programs continues to increase not only in response to the growing demand for out-of-home child care but also in recognition of the critical importance of educational experiences during the early years. Several decades of research clearly demonstrate that high-quality, developmentally appropriate early childhood programs produce short- and long-term positive effects on children's cognitive and social development. Despite the benefits of early education, our nation has lagged in making sure high-quality programs are available for our youngest kids, in my opinion.  Early childhood programs have the potential for producing positive and lasting effects on children, but this potential will not be achieved unless more attention is paid to ensuring that all programs meet the highest standards of quality. As the number and type of early childhood programs increase, the need increases for a shared vision and agreed-upon standards of professional practice.

Making this vision of excellence a reality will require a commitment from and a partnership among the federal, state, and local government. I believe that if programs and the government has clearly defined standards for program quality and personnel, with input from the early childhood professionals, families, and communities, with ongoing planning and evaluation processes, to ensure positive educational, health, and social outcomes for children. I believe that it will be only through collaborating with early childhood colleagues and combining the force of our sciences that we will successfully influence policy makers to foster the kind of holistic health we envision for all children.