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The Early Learning Nation Collective is thrilled that you have decided to embark on a journey to become or grow an Early Learning Community.

Before you start, we recommend watching this informational video to help guide you as you use the Tool. You may also want to read through some key terms before you begin the Assessment.

Certain goals within building blocks 1 and 2 are marked with a bridge icon to indicate that they make up the “critical infrastructure” of an Early Learning Community. Special attention should be paid to these goals, particularly if you are having trouble advancing your early learning efforts or if you are ready to formalize your work for greater effectiveness.

Goal 1.2 Sample Action Steps

Level 1

Gather information from partners about current investments in early childhood work to understand what is already being spent, where there is flexibility in how those funds are spent, and where there are gaps or room to grow that investment.
Survey or interview providers—early educators, home visitors, community health workers, health care providers, and others—about the resources they have, challenges they face, and the supports they could use as they work to improve quality of services. This could also be an opportunity to connect providers to community resources, supportive services, and their elected officials.
Survey or interview families of young children in the community about the resources they have, the challenges they face, the knowledge they have about available services and public resources, and the supports that would most improve their quality of life and promote outcomes in alignment with the Guiding Vision.
Partner with school districts to assess how public education funds are and can be used to support early childhood programming within schools and other programs in the community.
Engage city or local government departments that are funding programs for healthy and safe communities and strengthening families, such as crime prevention, health or nutrition education, family literacy, or mentoring for school-age children and youth.
Provide space at publicly owned buildings, such as recreation centers, libraries or school buildings, for providers and local organizations to deliver services, host family gatherings, and address other community needs.
Use public media, like the local open access channel, and other public assets to promote early childhood development and parent education, family and social services available, and early learning initiatives in the community.
Place developmental resources and tips for how parents can engage children in accessible and frequented forums in the community; inside utility bills, on the sides of buses and trash trucks, in public transportation stations and depots, and/or on other city owned vehicles and buildings.
Renew stakeholders’ and the group’s ongoing commitment and investment to early childhood at least annually to celebrate successes and re-evaluate areas of further growth.

Level 2

Consider what assets each partner has (financial and otherwise) and how they might be employed to further common goals. For example, when the school district is hosting trainings or conferences for pre-k teachers, community-based pre-k providers could be invited to attend. Parent leadership groups can be powerful allies to increase parent and family engagement in city or county level planning and initiatives.
Learn from service providers about how they “blend and braid” funding to meet family needs, and explore whether there are ways to formalize those strategies or support other programs in making similar innovations.
Use business development resources and tax incentives to help early care and education providers better manage the business side of their centers and improve quality of services.
Consider the current needs of the early childhood system and develop an improvement or strategic plan to meet set benchmarks or target goals.
Engage the philanthropic and business community through public and/or private partnerships to collaborate on specific issues, focus neighborhoods, or to fund programs, evaluation efforts, or parts of the Early Learning Community efforts.
Provide technical assistance in a variety of areas, including organizing bulk buying groups and participation in the Child and Adult Care Food Program to provide subsidized meals to children in early care and education centers.
Encourage providers to use a shared services model to reduce or share costs through joint purchasing, staff sharing, or centralized administration to ease administrative burden. Consider how local government could help administer this model.
Encourage agencies and providers to write proposals and apply for grants collaboratively. Use the opportunity to showcase what combined strengths and resources can accomplish.

Level 3

Identify consistent, dedicated funds for early childhood services, care, and education. For example, funds could be directed to creating more early care and education slots, raising wages of early childhood educators, or expanding legal aid services for families with young children.
Ensure that residents’ priorities drive how funding is directed and how services are provided. Engage a broad range of community leaders—some who are directly connected to early childhood services and some who are not—to be champions and advocate for additional investment in early childhood.
Reduce the administrative burden on providers and families by developing coordinated or universal applications for services (such as applying for early care and education or home visiting programs) and/or reporting requirements for local programs or grants received from the city, county, or local funders.
Create a dedicated source of revenue through a local sales or property tax, or earmark a portion of existing taxes, for early learning programs.
Establish a developer impact or linkage fee to fund new early care and education centers or seats within existing centers to meet demand created by new residential development.

Goal 1.2 Examples of Communities in Action

Kent County, MI

In 2018, Kent County, MI made history by approving the Ready by Five Early Childhood Millage, the first in Michigan. This bipartisan initiative, endorsed by 56.7 percent of voters, is projected to generate approximately $37 million over six years. Managed by First Steps Kent, the millage supports programs enhancing health, school readiness, and overall well-being for children under five. By 2022, Ready by Five had already impacted over 12,400 children and families, offering resources, developmental screenings, and connections to essential services like early childhood programs and behavioral health care. The Ready by Five millage comes up for renewal in August 2024.

Levels

Level 1
Level 1 describes the starting point and is the first thing a community will want to establish on their path to reaching that goal. In many cases, the first level involves assessing the current situation in order to identify strengths and areas of need.

Level 2
Level 2 describes a community that is taking proactive steps and making some progress toward the goal. This may include communities where progress has been made in pockets, but those efforts are not benefiting the whole community yet.

Level 3
Finally, Level 3 indicates that a community has invested time, energy, and resources toward reaching this goal and is integrating its efforts across the early childhood system and with other sectors.

Not Started
If you or your organization have not begun assessing or considering a goal, please mark your level as “Not Started.”