Early Childhood Development

Last Updated on Thursday, August 14, 2008 at 5:02 AM

Our Mission
The future strength of the Commonwealth of Kentucky depends upon the healthy development of our youngest citizens. Therefore, this initiative will build upon existing resources, foster public-private partnerships, insure collaborative planning and implementation, and mobilize communities to: support and strengthen families, assure that all children grow and develop to their full potential, provide high quality, accessible, affordable early care and education options, and promote public awareness of the importance of the first years for the well-being of all Kentucky's citizens.

The Vision For Kentucky
All young children in Kentucky are healthy and safe, possess the foundation that will enable school and personal success, and live in strong families that are supported and strengthened within their communities.

20 Comprehensive Plan
During the monthly meetings of the Early Childhood Development Authority in October 2000, they voted to adopt the Early Childhood Development Task Force's Report as the Authority's plan.

Building a Strong Foundation for School Success Series
The Kentucky Early Childhood Standards represent specific learning standard for children through four years of age. These standards are designed as a framework to assist parents, early care and education professionals, administrators, and others in understanding what children are able to know and do from birth through four years of age. ... More

Community Early Childhood Councils
A Community Early Childhood Council (CECC) addresses the unique needs and strengths of local communities related to early childhood. The Community Early Childhood Council is a vehicle for bringing together many community members to support issues of importance to children and families. KIDS NOW has designated a CECC service area as ... More

Early Childhood Development - Links of Interest
Below we have provided our visitors with some links to other web sites that deal with early childhood development and related subject matter. Neither the Division of Early Childhood Development nor the Commonwealth of Kentucky endorses these sites or the accuracy of their content. You will leave the Division of Early Childhood ... More

Early Childhood Development Authority
The Early Childhood Development Authority is established as a public agency and political subdivision of the Commonwealth with all powers, duties, and responsibilities conferred upon it by statute and essential to perform its functions including, but not limited to, employing other persons, consultants, attorneys, and agents. The authority shall be attached ... More

Healthy Babies Campaign
Healthy Babies Campaign: To plan and implement a public awareness/education campaign to educate the public about fetal alcohol syndrome, the impact of substance abuse on pregnancy and childrearing, the importance of smoking cessation, and about healthy lifestyle choices that help babies to be born healthy. For more information about the KIDS ... More

Kentucky Head Start State Collaboration Office
The mission of the Kentucky Head Start State Collaboration Office is to increase the accessibility of quality services to low-income children ages 0-5 and their families by supporting the development of partnerships on a state and local level among Head Start programs and services and Kentucky agencies organizations, business and families. ... More

KIDS NOW Executive Summary and Enhancing Early Care and Education Research to Practice
The KIDS NOW Evaluation Project provides formative evaluation information to the Division of Early Childhood Development in the implementation and refinement of KIDS NOW. The goal of the research is to determine if the implementation of the initiative results in better quality early childhood environments for young children in Kentucky. In ... More

KIDS NOW Initiative
Kentucky's Early Childhood Initiative SummaryIn order to reach the goal that all young children in Kentucky are healthy and safe, possess the foundation that will enable school and personal success, and live in strong families that are supported and strengthened within their communities, 25% of Kentucky's Phase I Tobacco Settlement dollars ... More

Professional Development
Early childhood professionals understand that the education and training of early childhood caregivers/educators is strongly correlated with favorable outcomes for young children in early care and education programs. Early childhood caregivers/educators want to provide high quality care and education for children within a framework of best practices standards. Early childhood caregivers/educators ... More

STARS for KIDS NOW (Quality Rating System)
STARS for KIDS NOW, Kentucky's voluntary quality rating system for licensed Type I and Type II child care centers and Certified family child care homes, is now available statewide. This system uses a scale of 1 through 4 STARS to identify levels of quality. All STAR levels surpass the minimum licensing ... More

For more information contact:

Annette Bridges
500 Mero Street, 17th Floor CPT
Frankfort, KY 40601

Phone: (502) 564-7056

Annette.Bridges@education.ky.gov

Kentucky Department of Education

Early Childhood Development