Take Action

As an advocate for our community you can:

Support changes and regulations that increase the effectiveness of services for children and families.
Fight for increases in funding for services to children.
Redirect existing funding to support early childhood education.
Support the QRIS Quality Initiative.
Advocate for high quality child care that is accessible and affordable to all.
The National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) conducts nonpartisan research on early education, including 50-states assessment of preschool enrollment and quality standards.
Talk about early care and education as an economic development tool.
Address women voters on the issues that are important to them.
Promote the use of public-private partnerships to improve early care and education.
Invite someone from Smart Beginnings South Hampton Roads Speakers’ Bureau to address your organization or constituents.
Watch the “Say Yes Now!” advocacy video from Educational Productions, Inc.
Visit the National Women’s Law Center at http://www.nwlc.org to learn more about childcare and early education issues.

90% of a child’s brain is developed by the age of 5.
78% of parents of children under 6 in South Hampton Roads work outside the home, and must find care for thier children.
1 in 8 children in our region arrives at kindergarten not ready.
Children who start school behind tend to stay behind.
Nationally, 49% of children arriving at school unprepared come from middle and upper income families.
18% of kindergartners held back in Virginia live in South Hampton Roads.
Holding back a child in kindergarten adds almost $8,000 to the public cost of that child’s education.
3rd grade reading level is a powerful predictor: for those who fail the 3rd grade reading test, half will also fail the 5th grade.
In fact, 62% of Virginia’s students cannot read proficiently by the end of 3rd grade.
A working, middle class family, with two young children, will spend on average 29% of their income on child care.