Each Child. Every Community.

RALEIGH, NC—Twelve Smart Start leaders from across the state have been chosen to participate in a statewide early childhood leadership program. The Smart Start Leaders’ Collaborative is a new initiative funded by the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of...

The Brookings Institution hosted a panel discussion on early education, focusing on pre-school and the Head Start program. The event centered around an article written by Dr. Steven Barnett, titled "Effectiveness of Early Educational Intervention," published in the journal Science.  Watch...

The NC Division of Child Development and Early Education (DCDEE) has issued the 2011/2012 NC Pre-K Program Requirements.  DCDEE revised the requirements to align with Judge Manning's ruling, the Executive Order 100 from Governor Perdue, and the requirements outlined in the 2011 Budget...

Did you attend Head Start as a child? If so, the First Five Years Fund is hoping that you will share your story. They've created a new website called, Our Head Start. Why? Here's what they have have to...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Aug 10, 2011 Statement on Governor Perdue’s Executive Order to Protect the Academic Integrity and Accessibility of NC Pre-Kindergarten Program Today, Gov. Bev Perdue instructed the state agency in charge of North Carolina’s pre-kindergarten program to preserve the high...

Smart Start donations comes in all shapes and sizes. Recently, The North Carolina Partnership for Children, Inc., the organization that leads Smart Start, received a $268.76 donation from a lemonade stand fundraiser! MomsRising.org, an  organization working to achieve economic security for...

Margaret Samuels, the Executive Director of the Orange County Partnership for Young Children,  and Board Chair Jay Bryan, appeared on the Chapelboro radio station to explain how Smart Start serves families in Orange county. They also discuss the history...

Peter Morris, M.D., Medical Director of Wake County Human Services named to key child safety task force by Governor Perdue Peter J. Morris, M.D., MPH, Medical/Clinical Services Director of Wake County Human Services and Board Member of The North Carolina...

MARION — Joy Griffith, an early childhood education teacher at McDowell Technical Community College, was awarded the Karen W. Ponder Leadership Award at the 2011 National Smart Start Conference. The award, named for Smart Start’s former president, recognizes outstanding service...

The Down East Partnership for Children was interviewed for a segment on The Break Away Show. Program Director Wendy Price does an excellent job explaining the services available to families, including helping parents find quality child care and parent education programs....