The Virginia Early Childhood Foundation (VECF) was launched thirteen years ago by business and education leaders who recognized the role that early childhood development plays in laying a strong foundation for Virginia’s youngest citizens, helping to ensure their success in school -- and in life. Brain science has taught us that becoming a healthy, school-ready kindergartner begins very early – even in the months prior to birth. And, with 70% of young children living in families with all parents in the workforce, we know that early childhood education is a double win: a critical workforce support for today’s workers as well as a school readiness opportunity for the generation at the start of the workforce pipeline. With these dynamics, we’re fortunate to have the partnership of the Virginia business community in shifting the conversation about early childhood development to a workforce issue, driving home the link between quality experiences in the early years and job preparedness, and what that means in return on investment for our state.

VECF has made strides in building a strong and sustained focus on school readiness in Virginia, highlighting the importance of public-private partnerships, regionally-driven solutions, and ultimately, the need for a systemic and state-wide business plan for school readiness. In short, VECF is working to make a cohesive whole of the many working parts of a system so that all families and children in Virginia have opportunities to thrive. The problems and solutions are complex, but Virginia is at a tipping point, well-positioned to build on the efforts and learnings of VECF, local Smart Beginnings initiatives, and many other partners toward the goal of an equitable, efficient, accountable, high-quality early childhood system.