WASHINGTON, D.C. — The National League of Cities (NLC) has released its Decades in the Making Toolkit which summarizes a two-year study by NLC of four cities — Boston, MA; Hartford, CT; Jacksonville, FL; and Seattle, WA — and outlines best practices for advancing stronger outcomes for children and families using proven and replicable strategies.
“Decades in the Making: How Four Cities Are Creating Lasting Early Childhood Impact” breaks down each city’s story into concrete themes and explores how these themes lay the groundwork for a city of any size to institute and adopt policies that benefit their early childhood sector including the workforce, parents and residents more holistically.
“A strong early childhood agenda is critical for every city, town and village, regardless of size or geography,” said National League of Cities CEO and Executive Director Clarence E. Anthony. “The new Decades in the Making toolkit not only highlights the incredible work happening in these cities, but it outlines clear, tangible next steps that any community can take tomorrow to better the lives of their most vulnerable residents and their families.”
Each city profiled in the toolkit benefitted from site visits by NLC experts, interviews and city-specific research to increase understanding of how to maximize their individual political structure, community’s history and geographic location to better support and strengthen their child care economy.
From this hands-on research, NLC has compiled this toolkit with tips and strategies that other local jurisdictions of any size can use to launch, grow or strengthen their own child care economy. The toolkit includes:
- A history of local early childhood policy advances
- Local government success stories
- Clear next steps for other communities to replicate these successes
- Guidance on how to achieve policy outcomes
The toolkit is available at NLC.org/Decades.
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The National League of Cities (NLC) the voice of America’s cities, towns and villages, representing more than 200 million people. NLC works to strengthen local leadership, influence federal policy and drive innovative solutions. Stay connected with NLC on Facebook, X, LinkedIn and Instagram.