AIR's work in early care and education helps foster the development of high-quality early learning programs and the achievement of positive results for young children and their families. The purpose of the Center for Early Learning Systems is to offer practical tools, resources, and methodologies to assist with planning, implementing, and evaluating preschool and other school readiness programs. AIR provides technical assistance to organizations at the local, regional, and state level to
- assess the local supply of and access to early learning programs;
- develop plans for improving and expanding access to quality early learning programs;
- develop options for phasing in preschool and other school readiness programs;
- produce clear and detailed maps to illustrate areas of greatest need for early learning programs;
- estimate the cost of expanding and upgrading early learning services to quality standards;
- identify new early learning funding sources and fiscal leveraging opportunities;
- evaluate the effectiveness of early learning programs; and
- help translate the latest research into practice for policy makers, administrators, and providers.
We thank the David and Lucile Packard Foundation for their support for the development of the website that was the foundation for this Center.
