A " noble bet" in early care and education2002

The Early Childhood Initiative (ECI) was an ambitious effort launched in Pittsburgh in 1996 to provide high-quality early care and education services to at-risk children, on a countywide scale and under the direction of local neighborhood agencies. Its goal was to improve the preparation of these children for kindergarten, promote their long-term educational attainment, and give them the early tools to help them become productive, successful members of society. Initially funded by foundations and private donors, ECI planned to become financially sustainable over the long term by persuading the state of Pennsylvania to commit to funding the program at the end of a startup period. Four years after its launch, ECI was far short of its enrollment targets, the cost per child was significantly...