Early Childhood

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Short descriptionPlain-language definition

The earliest years in a child’s life – from birth to age five – lay the foundation for a lifetime of health, learning and economic opportunity. More is happening in a child’s brain during this period than any other stage of life.

High-quality early education creates a foundation for building life skills, such as learning language and regulating emotions.

Research shows that children who participate in early learning programs are more likely to enter kindergarten prepared to read and work well with others. They are also more likely to graduate from high school and secure stable employment later in life.

These programs can level the playing field, leading to opportunities for children, regardless of family income or neighborhood.

When we invest in early education, we provide environments that support healthy development during a crucial time of growth. Finding ways to support initiatives aimed at Pre-K and early development are among the most effective ways we can make an impact in our communities.

Why it matters locallyWhat is happening now (current state)

Mecklenburg County’s universal pre-K investment is a response to a hard truth: to provide fair opportunities for children, we need to start before kindergarten.

The catalyst for action was a 2014 Harvard study ranking Charlotte 50th out of 50 large U.S. cities for economic mobility, making early education a priority in local policy conversations.

Some early childhood programs were in place, but served only a fraction of eligible children.

In the early 20th century, access to early education was largely provided by churches, nonprofits, and civic groups. A major shift began in the 1990s when North Carolina launched Smart Start, a public-private initiative designed to improve childcare quality and expand access.

This led to the growth of publicly funded programs in Mecklenburg County primarily serving low-income or at-risk kids. Many middle-income families, however, were still without affordable options.

In 2018, the Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners approved funding to launch Meck Pre-K. The decision positioned early childhood education as a priority of our county.

Meck Pre-K, free and open to all four-year-olds, now serves over 2,000 children each year.

Source body (legacy synthetic packet, optional)

Early childhood is the period when families, caregivers, and communities build the foundation for learning and wellbeing. Young children develop through relationships, language, play, routines, nutrition, health, safety, and responsive care. These early experiences shape how children enter school, form relationships, manage emotions, and explore the world.

Child care is both a family support and economic infrastructure. Parents and caregivers often need reliable care in order to work, attend training, continue education, or manage household responsibilities. When care is hard to find, hard to afford, or mismatched with work schedules, families can face difficult tradeoffs. Employers and workforce systems also feel those tradeoffs when parents cannot participate fully.

Early childhood is closely connected to health. Developmental screenings, preventive care, nutrition, safe housing, and caregiver mental health all affect how young children grow. Timely support can help families respond to speech, hearing, behavioral, physical, or social-emotional needs before challenges become harder to address.

The early childhood workforce is central to this system. Caregivers and educators do skilled work that supports children, families, schools, and employers. A strong civic frame should recognize their role without reducing early childhood to babysitting or school preparation alone. Quality care includes safety, trust, relationships, learning, and respect for families.

Early childhood belongs in conversations about education, economic mobility, workforce development, health, and housing. It is one of the clearest examples of how prevention and opportunity connect. The public question is how families can access the support they need during the years when small conditions can have long-lasting effects.

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6 facts
7 organizations
6 tools
5 articles
6 glossary terms
6 take-action items

Key facts

68% of children under age six in Charlotte-Mecklenburg are in families with all available parents working source
115 classrooms served by Meck Pre-K across more than 47 child care centers source
$66 million County funding increase approved in 2018 to launch Meck Pre-K source
90% of brain development occurs before age five source
12-18 month lag in language and cognitive skills for children 3 and under from lower-income backgrounds source
11% increase in potential high school graduation rates for students who went through preschool source

Key organizations

Ada Jenkins CenterProvides solutions for economic stability for families in Cornelius, Davidson, and Huntersville.https://adajenkins.org/
Alliance Center for EducationA dual language preschool program, helping children build kindergarten readiness and English-language skills, while cultivating the long-term advantages of being bilingual.bilingualpreschool.org
Charlotte Speech and Hearing CenterA program for young children before kindergarten or pre-kindergarten to help children learn, grow and promote development in language, math, and social skills.cmsk12.org/academics/pre-kindergarten-program
Children’s Advocacy Center of CharlotteProvides a tuition-free, high quality preschool education through a unique partnership with students, families, parents, staff and community.tlccharlotte.org
Meck Pre-KA high quality pre-K program open to all four-year-old children in Mecklenburg County at no cost to families.meckprek.org
Mecklenburg County Public HealthAggregator of services and resources dedicated to the health and safety of our diverse and changing community today, and for our future generations.health.mecknc.gov
Reach out and ReadMobilizes resources, partnerships, and supports families to improve early childhood health, education and development, and ensure children are prepared for kindergarten.smartstartofmeck.org

Tools and resources

Charlotte Bilingual Preschoolprepares Spanish-speaking children for success in school, providing dual language, multi-cultural educationhttps://bilingualpreschool.org/
Child Care Resources, Inc.A private, nonprofit child care referral agency that works to help ensure that children have access to high-quality, affordable early learning.childcareresourcesinc.org
Children’s Developmental Services Agency (CDSA)Supports families who have children from birth to age three with special needs. Offers services to enhance development potentialhttps://health.mecknc.gov/maternal-and-child-health/cdsa
The Learning CollaborativeTuition-free preschool program focused on educating at-risk children and preparing them for kindergartenhttps://www.tlccharlotte.org/
Meck Pre-KA high quality pre-K program open to all four-year-old children in Mecklenburg County at no cost to families.meckprek.org
Smart Start of Mecklenburg CountyMobilizes resources, partnerships, and supports families to improve early childhood health, education and development, and ensure children are prepared for kindergarten.smartstartofmeck.org

Articles and reports

Glossary

Early childhood education: The structured learning, care, and developmental support provided to children from birth through age five, before they enter kindergarten.
Evidence-based principles: Strategies derived from rigorous research, proven to support healthy child developments.
High-quality early learning: Early education programs that meet strong standards for teacher training, curriculum, class size, and child outcomes.
Pre-K (Kindergarten): Structured early education programs for children (typically age four) designed to prepare them for kindergarten.
School readiness: The level at which a child is prepared to succeed in kindergarten, academically, socially, emotionally, and physically.
Social-emotional development: A child’s ability to understand emotions, build relationships, and manage behavior; a strong predictor of long-term academic and life success.

Take action

learnLearn Who is LeadingLearn more about key organizations leading and coordinating around early childhood in the community. fftcfwd.net/early-childhood
giveGive Back FinanciallyDonate to a 501(c)(3) nonprofit whose mission focuses on early childhood education, or that offers surrounding services or programs. Donate directly: sharecharlotte.org Give through a fund: fftc.org
volunteerVolunteerVolunteer for a nonprofit whose mission focuses on increasing access to early childhood education, or that offers related programming. Visit SHARE Charlotte’s website for volunteer opportunities: sharecharlotte.org
advocateSupport Community AdvocacyLocal groups such as Smart Start of Mecklenburg County boost social capital with programs that inspire youth.
advocateSupport ConnectorsEngage with programs and organizations that offer paid internships, training, and wraparound support to help residents access early childhood education opportunities.
alignAlign PrioritiesCorporations and foundations can align community and philanthropic priorities around issues related to early childhood education – especially as it pertains to economic mobility.