The Campaign was launched in the summer of 2000 to address the pressing need for high-quality early education in Massachusetts, informed by the findings of the constituency building research project: Our Youngest Children: Massachusetts Voters and Opinion Leaders Speak Out on Their Care and Education, which was developed by child policy specialist Margaret Blood.

The findings identified the public and political will for publicly-funded early childhood education:

One-third of the voters polled identify child care and early childhood education as top priorities for Massachusetts.

State government leaders-especially state legislative leaders-place child care and early childhood education relatively high on their list of public policy priorities.

Voters and opinion leaders are more willing to support government funding for early childhood education if it is: child-focused; for ages three, four and five; and identifiably connected to long term educational benefits.

This public support is even more significant when evaluated in the context of the current situation facing Massachusetts' young children and their families, and the scientific evidence promoting the importance of early childhood education.

Within this context of environmental and market factors, the Campaign is determined to make publicly-funded high-quality early education available to all Massachusetts three, four, and five year olds to help prepare them for success both in school and in life.

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