An enlightening overview of how early childhood education and care works in the United States and practical steps for how the systems of delivery might be improved

In Readiness, Elliot Regenstein dives into how states oversee publicly funded early childhood services. While early education and care have increasingly been treated as a public good, families still struggle to find the services they need. This book looks at the states seeking to develop coherent systems from a mix of care and education programs, highlighting successes achieved to date and laying out the challenges ahead. It is an insider's guide to who makes which decisions in state early childhood systems—and how those decisions get made.

Regenstein looks at the capacity states have to manage their systems, and how they have worked to reorient their capacity over time to better serve families with young children. He looks at how states have supported community-level leadership, including how early childhood providers have sought to work with public schools. The book highlights the information gaps that have plagued state and local leaders, and some of the growing efforts to close those gaps. It also examines the advocates and philanthropists whose work has a major influence on state policy.

Regenstein provides examples of how states have unified governance, strengthened community capacity, and upgraded data collection and delivery to respond to the needs of families and communities. He recommends next steps for policymakers in state and local government, advocates, and philanthropists to bring about positive change to achieve aligned, well-funded early childhood care services.