Business, government and research communities agree on the benefits of high-quality early learning experiences for young children. But public policymakers and private providers have struggled for consensus on how early childhood education programs should best be implemented and administered to meet the needs of working families in an affordable fashion. President Obama has further raised the stakes in this discussion with his call for substantial investment increases in early childhood education. This panel will examine the case for quality early childhood education from research, business and governmental perspectives and discuss options for creating policies and programs that allow all Americans to reach their full potential.

Moderator: Elanna Yalow
Speakers: John Engler, J.B. Pritzker, Linda Smith, John Woodward