This week I have spent hours at our state capital building educating our legislators on those exact questions. Florida's Office of Early has recently moved from the Agency for Workforce Innovation and will now be housed under the administrative umbrella of Florida's Department of Education. With that move, a new group of our state lawmakers is now looking at the best interests of our youngest children. They too are asking the same questions... What are Early Learning Coalitions all about? What difference do they really make?

I love being asked these questions... It gives me an opening to talk about the critical work we do with our children, families, and child care providers. Early Learning Coalitions do matter, and we do make a difference and here are a few reasons why:

Early Learning Coalitions….

1. ACTIVELY engage the local community in early childhood issues.
2. Provide training and support to child care providers.
3. Provide support and critical resources to families.
4. Identify children who need special services and make sure they get them.
5. Find money to support our young children and child care providers.
6. Work in partnership with both families and child care partners to promote positive outcomes for ALL children.

The Early Learning Coalition of the Big Bend invites you to come and see first hand what we do and how we do it…. All of our offices have an open door policy. Take advantage of it. Spend an hour and come and see one of our communities’ greatest assets… your Early Learning Coalition.