STATE AND COMMUNITY-PLANNING FOR EARLY-CHILDHOOD SYSTEMS

In September 1993 nearly 300 early childhood professionals, business l eaders; researchers; parents; community planners; health and human ser vice professionals; clergy; funders; and local, state, and federal pol icymakers gathered in Washington, D.C, for the first Forum on State an d Community Planning in Early Childhood Education and Care, sponsored by the Families and Work Institute and NAEYC. Endorsed by the Child Ca re Action Campaign, Child Care Law Center, Children's Defense Fund, Fa mily Resource Coalition, National Association of Child Care Resource a nd Referral Agencies, National Black Child Development Institute, Nati onal Head Start Association, Parent Action, Quality 2000, United Way o f America, and Zero to Three/National Center for Clinical Infant Progr ams and funded by the AT&T Foundation, Carnegie Corporation of New Yor k, Ford Foundation, and A.L. Mailman Family Foundation, the Forum prov ided a historic opportunity for a diverse group of participants in sta te and community planning initiatives to come together and share infor mation, identify common barriers, and learn new strategies. This artic le summarizes highlights of the Forum discussions.