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Another Virginia General Assembly Session has come to a close and with it, the Virginia Chamber of Commerce has put together their 2013 Legislative Report Card, an annual report which grades legislators based on their support of pro-business issues. Of particular interest to us was the “Excellence In Education and Workforce Training Award,” awarded to […]

This week, our President & CEO, Lisa Howard, was featured on Cox Connections talking about E3, early education and the achievement gap.  The show also featured a clip from Chesapeake’s recent Early Education Business Forum.  You can watch the full interview below:   Want to learn more about E3?  Click here.

  Last week, our founding chair, Gary McCollum, was featured in Virginia Business talking about E3:Elevate Early Education. Recalling his own childhood, growing up in a housing project in Richmond, Gary says, “I was a high-return kid, you invest in me, and I become a net contributor.  I create a net fiscal surplus.  But if […]

There’s a new nonprofit sweeping the nation with one clear goal: help Americans access technology through Digital Literacy training, discounted high-speed Internet, and low-cost computers.  Connect2Compete, which launched this past March, is aimed at reaching an estimated 100 million Americans without home broadband Internet access, including tens of millions of students.  Did you know that […]

Earlier this week, the Annie E. Casey Foundation released its 2013 KIDS COUNT Data Book, detailing the status of children in America regarding a variety of factors including economic-well being, education, health, and family and community. Nationally, Virginia ranked 11th overall and showed decreases in the number of children not attending preschool; the number of […]

  This afternoon, E3 went to visit The Boys & Girls Club in Richmond.  E3’s founding Board chair, Gary McCollum, encouraged the youth in attendance saying, “It isn’t where you start, but where you finish.” Gary’s first paid job was handing out towels and basketballs at the Club. It influenced the choices he made and […]

  Last week, Too Small To Fail unveiled a new video on the importance of giving ALL of our children the tools they need to be successful.  The video shows strong bipartisan report and features Hillary Rodham Clinton as well as President George W. Bush’s former Undersecretary of Education, Sara Martinez Tucker weighing in on […]

  Are you looking for a good book to read this summer? Check out “Improbable Scholars” by David Kirp, a nationally recognized education expert who is a Professor of Public Policy at the University of California at Berkeley. Kirp reveals a sensible way to rebuild public education and close the achievement gap for all students […]

Last week in The Daily Press, Aubrey L. Layne, Jr., president of An Achievable Dream, wrote a compelling Op-Ed piece on a best practice model, homegrown in Newport News, Virginia to break the cycle of poverty.  This public-private partnership provides a results-oriented approach to eliminating the achievement gap. Research tells us that the gap begins […]

Last week, Chesapeake’s “R U READY?” hosted an Early Education Business Forum for business, civic and philanthropic leaders.  Stephen Wright, Director of Economic Development, shared with the group why businesses need to get involved in improving early education.  Wright emphasized how in order to stay a city that attracts and retains quality businesses, we need […]

A few weeks ago, the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) released their annual “The State Of Preschool” report and found that funding per-student for preschool had reached its lowest point in a decade. NPR’s Michel Martin sat down with NIEER’s director, Steve Barnett to talk about this discouraging trend. When asked about the […]

Yesterday, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)  released a new regulation for public comment to ensure children’s health and safety in child care and promote school readiness.  The proposed rule would only impact child care providers who accept funding from the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF). The regulations propose long overdue […]

Last week on PBS, John Legend hosted a show on the importance of teaching and learning.  The show featured leading advocates in the education arena including Geoffrey Canada, Bill Gates, Rita F. Pierson and Sir Ken Robinson. One of our favorite lines? ”America cannot wait another 50 years to get this right. We have run […]

  Happy Mother’s Day!  Moms, as a parent, you truly are your child’s first and most important teacher.  For a little extra support, we have a special treat for you. Today, we want you to be the first to see our new parent guide! In it, you’ll find a step-by-step guide to arm you with […]

We all know that parents are a child’s first and most important teacher, but for children in child care centers, preschool, kindergarten and beyond, no one can argue the critical role teachers play in our children’s lives.  It is important to acknowledge and thank the teachers around Virginia that have gone above and beyond in […]