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Early Education
In the last quarter century research has confirmed the importance of early learning:
 Early Brain development in the first five years creates an essential foundation for a child’s healthy development and learning.
High quality early education experiences help ensure that children are ready for school and ready for life.
Research shows that investments in high quality preschool education can have a high return on investment.
The Council’s Early Education efforts focus on quality early learning experiences for Wisconsin’s children ages birth to five. The intent is that all early education—no matter what setting—meets critical standards of quality. The Council sees early education as a linchpin for children’s education success in Wisconsin.
72% of Wisconsin’s children under age six have all parents in the workforce, the 4th highest rate among states.
Join the Early Learning Coalition
WCCF is one of 14 statewide organizations working to make high-quality early care and education a priority for Wisconsin's children.
Come visit the Coalition's web site: http://www.greatstartwi.org
Learn about the Coalition's work and sign up for action alerts and the early education newsletter:http://capwiz.com/wccf/mlm/signup/
Endorse the Coalition's efforts as an organization or individual: http://greatstartwi.org/membership.htm
Recent News
Federal Investments in Early Care and Education (October 2011).
Early Care and Education Scorecard: 2011-13 Wisconsin Budget.
After Joint Finance action taken May 31, 2011 on the Governor’s budget, here is our analysis of the pluses and minuses for key early care and education programs. The overall impact is reduced revenue for early learning and child care, but the cuts were not as deep as in many other areas of the state budget. Given the political climate, it is fair to say that it could have been much worse. View the scorecard.
Pathways Brief #4: Milestones: Advancements to Pathways for Early Childhood Higher Education. This policy brief is the fourth and final installment in a series exploring career pathways and the connection to higher education. The report summarizes our work in this area over the past year and more, including details on progress towards a system wide approach to Credit for Prior Learning in Wisconsin’s Technical colleges (Winter 2010-2011). Read the brief.
Recommendations for Improving Services to Infants, Toddlers and Families. This report provide six top recommendations for improving infant-toddler services in Wisconsin. Recommendations were developed by the task force including Wisconsin Council on Children and Families, Celebrate Children Foundation, Wisconsin Alliance for Infant Mental Health, Wisconsin Early Childhood Association, and Supporting Families Together Association. The report is intended to generate discussion and consideration on infant–toddler issues, often left out of early childhood policy deliberations (Spring 2011). Read the report.
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Wisconsin Early Learning Coalition (ELC) Position and Alternative on YoungStar Reimbursement. Read ELC position paper.
Wisconsin Early Learning Coalition (ELC) Position on Governor's Budget Proposals 2011-2013. Read ELC position paper.
Early Care and Education in the Governor’s 2011-13 Budget -
Key Issues. Read WCCF policy brief based on materials available April 8, 2011.
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Joint Committee on Finance Approves Funding to Launch the YoungStar Child Care Quality Rating and Improvement System! 16-0 vote represents a big victory for Wisconsin’s children. Read WCCF's statement and blogpost.
YoungStar is the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families' proposed new five-star quality rating and improvement system for child care in Wisconsin. Visit DCF's YoungStar Proposal information site for the facts. |
 Project Goals
Establish and support a broad-based coalition and alliances to advance new policies to ensure high quality early education
Promote effective policies and practices by disseminating relevant research, policy development, and best practices.
Educate the public, parents, practitioners, and policymakers about the importance of high quality early education
Project Staff
Contact David Edie, Early Education Policy Analyst
Contact Daithi Wolfe, Early Education Policy Analyst
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