Smarter Reform: A National Policy Agenda for An Early Care and Education System

This document presents a five-point plan for an early care and education system from the Federal/national perspective. The document is intended to encourage policy-makers and early education leaders to explore new ways of structuring and financing policy that promote early learning. Specific Federal actions are described that support each key principle. The five principles of the plan include: (1) build an early care and education system for all of America’s children and families; (2) make services universally available, and ensure that all children and families have access to high quality, affordable, early care and education; (3) improve quality, with clear performance indicators to measure accountability; (4) respect the value of children and the families who raise them; and (5) increase public investments and leadership.