Early Learning in Cities

Decades of research show that high-quality early learning programs can positively impact children’s learning, development, and health. CityHealth, an initiative of the de Beaumont Foundation and Kaiser Permanente, provides cities with evidence-based policy solutions and practical tools to improve the health and well-being of their residents. CityHealth provides a framework for advancing policies using a medal rating system to assess their progress and encourage improvement in public health outcomes. Since 2017, CityHealth has partnered with the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) to conduct research on prekindergarten (pre-K) efforts operated at the city level, to promote its High-Quality, Accessible Pre-K policy solution.

Cities utilize a wide variety of funding mechanisms—ranging from sales and property taxes to blended funding streams and public-private partnerships—to establish and maintain public pre-K programs. Choosing the right strategy depends on balancing long-term financial stability, voter/political approval, and economic resilience during downturns.