By working together and aligning on objectives, goals and programming, local leaders can work across sectors within their communities to build a strong, responsive system supportive of young children and their families. They can prevent duplication of services, avoid wasteful spending, address gaps in services and unify policies and practices to improve quality and wellbeing – all the while creating equitable early care and education system for all residents.

This Alignment Rating Tool is a companion tool for the Equitable Early Care and Education: An Alignment Framework. Together, both resources provide local leaders and early childhood stakeholders with a process to improve coordination of early childhood programming in their communities, ultimately improving outcomes for their youngest residents and their families.