Policy Priorities
Effective ECE policy starts with focused goals and clear principles.
This hub connects you to the main elements of our approach to ECE policy — linking policy goals to practical strategies for achieving those goals, grounded in essential principles for good ECE policy.
We focus on two key policy goals that drive maximum impact for children, families, and state economies.
Our five core principles anchor our parent-centered, market-based approach to ECE policy.
Finally, our policy framework organizes policy guidance from big-picture vision to policy specifics.
Where to focus now — two goals that drive results:
Empower lower-income parents to access quality ECE
Give parents purchasing power and real choices in a mixed‑delivery market.
Build a strong early care and education workforce
Stabilize and grow capable ECE staff so programs serve more families reliably.
The bedrock principles that shape our market-oriented, parent-centered approach to ECE policy:
Target support where it's needed most.
Focus public investment on families who can't access quality care on their own.
Put families first.
Empower parents — not top-down policies — to choose what’s best for their child.Strengthen markets, don’t replace them.
Expand access and quality by making markets work for all families who need quality care.Empower communities to lead.
Support community-driven approaches from employers, nonprofits, and faith-based groups.Focus on cost-effective results, not spending.
Invest in what works, track outcomes, and fund performance.
How we organize our policy guidance:
Our framework for organizing policy connects big-picture goals to concrete strategies and specific policy actions, ensuring every decision advances core objectives.
