The 105th Nebraska Legislature has Adjourned Sine Die

Visit our website's Nebraska Legislation page to view status of bills affecting early childhood; print daily report.

New U.S. Census Data: 39% of Nebraska Children Ages 0-5 Are At Risk

See locations of children at risk by:

Meet Your Future . . .

Today's kids will play an important role in our own lives in the years ahead. They may be our financial advisor, health care provider, automotive technician or construction worker.

Watch our Meet Your Future PSAs

"New industries consider locating in states that show a commitment to children in their early years."

Barry Kennedy, President, Nebraska Chamber of Commerce & Industry
Member, Dividends Nebraska

Targeted Early Investments Can Have Significant Impact

"The most meaningful, far-reaching efforts occurred with intensive, carefully designed, well-implemented programs that target infants and toddlers and include a strong focus on parents." -- American Enterprise Institute

"The most expensive thing in early childhood is poor quality care with no return on investment." — Dr. Jack P. Shonkoff, Director of the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University, addressing Nebraska legislators, business leaders and school administrators. (Photo: Tom Kates)

How Do We Know When Kids Are Ready for Kindergarten?

Children's ability to identify numbers and letters along with possessing a working vocabulary often are used as benchmarks to assess school readiness, but they don't tell the whole story.

Improving Quality of Care

Children in 305 Nebraska child care programs are benefiting from their providers' participation in our state's quality improvement and rating system. More children now will enter kindergarten ready to learn, and that's good news for children, parents, providers and taxpayers.

“I believe we can achieve meaningful change that will allow both employees and businesses to grow our economy. We owe it to the American people to discover shared solutions that can lead to stronger families and communities.”

Deb Fischer
Nebraska U.S. Senator

An investment in high-quality childhood education not only levels the playing field for our at-risk children, it yields more stable communities, a more qualified workforce, reduced crime rate and greater social cohesion long term.

Senator John Stinner
Legislative District 48

"Almost daily, a Chamber member expresses concern about their current or future workforce needs. We need to maximize the skills of every child in Nebraska to build a sufficient, skilled talent pool for the future."

K.C. Belitz
President, Columbus Chamber of Commerce

"We know that early, enriched environments maximize the interaction between biology and experience, and positively influence a child's developmental trajectory with lifelong consequences for health and well-being."

Dr. Cynthia Ellis
Omaha Pediatrician