Abby Thorman

This brief summarizes two policy strategies for improving young children's learning and development which have largely operated independantly from one another: quality rating and improvement systems and P-3 alignment. The authors make recomendations as to how both early learning reform efforts can be individually strengthened as well as how they can be aligned with one another to build a stronger and more comprehensive system of care for children that is well positioned to close the acheivement gap.

This document highlights the Partners in Quality for Early Learning initiative, the accreditation project, the quality rating system, scholarship initiatives, and a compensation initiative. Lessons learned about Kansas City's experience in attempting to build a system of quality early learning throughout the metropolitan area are discussed.