Counties have a multi-faceted role in early childhood development, a key element of success later in life. Early childhood needs are also a central topic of policy and funding discussions for Maryland’s Kirwan Commission on Innovation and Excellence in Education.
Maryland counties and counties nationwide support early childhood development and families – not only through education funding, but also through health programs, mental health assistance, and libraries.
In Maryland, however, a major study of Pre-K-12, the Kirwan Commission, will be wrapping up its work this fall, with recommendations that will likely become the topic of statewide legislation in the 2019 General Assembly. In the meantime, the Commission is breaking into four working groups to develop assumptions for cost estimates on topics including early childhood, with the expectation for major recommendations regarding Pre-K.
Follow Conduit Street for updates on the Kirwan Commission and topics relevant to county budgets.
To join the national discussion on early childhood policy and supports – including health, mental health, libraries, and other resources beyond education systems – through a free webinar highlighting local innovations and best practices in early childhood development from NACo, the National Association of Counties.
- WEBINAR: Local Efforts Supporting Innovation in Early Childhood Development
- DATE: May. 1, 2018
- TIME: 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm
From the National Association of Counties:
Counties play a critical role in shaping early childhood systems and have been instrumental in investing in core services supporting young children and families. Research tells us that early experiences and environments affect the developing brain of young children in their earliest years of life and have a lasting impact on their success through adulthood, especially in school and life. Learn more about what counties are doing to help improve child and family outcomes and reduce risk factors through innovative and promising approaches and NACo’s early childhood initiative supporting counties in developing robust systems.
