Earlier this week, I had the opportunity to represent North Carolina at a Congressional staff briefing in Washington, DC on states’ initiatives to strengthen early childhood systems. North Carolina was one of just three states featured on our panel.
As part of the discussion, I urged active involvement at the federal level in addressing the pressing needs of young children and their families, highlighted some of North Carolina’s excellent programs—some of which are national models—and described our plans to work together even more closely and effectively for better outcomes for children.
The vehicle for that collaboration is the Early Childhood Advisory Council (ECAC), established by Gov. Perdue, and which recently held its first meeting. The work of the ECAC will get start in earnest this fall with the implementation of a strategic planning process. As the ECAC progresses, we will continue to look for ways to partner with the federal government on our shared goal of assuring that all our young children are healthy and ready to learn.