The second annual Early Childhood Legislative Day at the Arizona State Capitol on Feb. 15 was a great success with dozens of attendees, including legislators. The event sponsored by the Arizona Early Childhood Alliance (AZECA), of which First Things First (FTF) is a member, provided an opportunity to share with policymakers why early childhood is critical to the future of our state and how it links to shared priorities, such as healthy children, strong families, greater academic achievement and increased economic development.During the event, about two dozen in-office visits between stakeholders and legislators took place, as well as a breakfast in the Arizona State Capitol Rose Garden allowing constituents to talk with representatives in their districts about how early childhood investments positively impact their communities.
The day was highlighted with a presentation to the AZ Senate Education Committee by AZECA. During the presentation, nationally-recognized advocate for early childhood, Art Rolnick, shared with legislators about the importance of investing in young children.
“Investing in high-quality early education, starting as early as prenatal, is the best public investment you can make,” Rolnick told the senators.
About AZECA
The Arizona Early Childhood Alliance is an alliance of 40 cross-sector partners statewide with the goal of ensuring all Arizona children are prepared for kindergarten and on track to succeed by the end of third grade
