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Hotel Group Rate RSVP Deadline: October 5
Begin your Fall 2026 Member meeting experience with these advance learning and connection opportunities:
Pre-Read: History and Context of North Carolina's Early Childhood System
As we prepare for ECFC's Fall Member Meeting, taking place in Raleigh, NC, October 28–30, we are contemplating two EdNC articles published to support our learning goals and journey at the meeting.
The first article, North Carolina spent decades building an early childhood system. What will it take to sustain it?, authored by Amy Rhyne, expert correspondent at EdNC and former senior director of the Office of Early Learning at the N.C. Department of Public Instruction, looks at three decades of momentum for early childhood, premised on this EdNC timeline of the history and evolution of early childhood education in North Carolina from 1990 to 2026.
The second article, Start with equity: Strengthening North Carolina’s early childhood system for the next 40 years, by Dr. Iheoma Iruka, professor in the Department of Maternal and Child Health at the Gillings School of Global Public Health, fellow at Frank Porter Graham (FPG), and founding director of the Equity Research Action Coalition at FPG, reflects on a system that has been influential for nearly four decades. Dr. Iruka argues that the system must now be judged not only by the programs it created, but also by whether those programs have equitably improved access, experiences, and outcomes for the children, families, communities, and workforce most affected by inequity.
Attendees will have the opportunity to explore the history of and forces shaping North Carolina's early childhood system during our opening panel with Dr. Iruka, Amy Ryne and Mebane Rash, EdNC’s CEO and editor.
Online Advance Learning Opportunities
ECFC Webinar:
Listening to Families: What Capita’s Quarterly Insights Can Teach Us About Family-Centered Policy
Thursday, October 15 | Online | 2:00 PM ET
What can we learn when we consistently ask families what is happening in their lives—not simply whether a particular program is working? Join ECFC for a discussion with Capita, a think tank focused on building a future where families and communities can flourish, about Quarterly Insights from America’s Families, their standing national survey conducted in partnership with YouGov, which serves as an early-warning system measuring household stability, predictability, and quality of life for families.
In this session, we’ll explore topline national and North Carolina-specific findings from the third wave of Quarterly Insights data (available in October), including what has changed, what remains consistent, and what families themselves identify as shaping their ability to thrive. As a precursor to ECFC’s Fall 2026 Member Meeting in Raleigh, NC, we’ll also take a deeper dive into what the Quarterly Insights data can tell us in a state that has historically invested significantly in early childhood and family-serving systems amidst complex geographic, cultural, and political contexts. The discussion will challenge early childhood funders to consider the need for advocacy rooted in the real-life experiences of parents and young children, and to move beyond a focus on distinct programs and discrete interventions when families describe needs that cut across systems.
Field Event:
Creating Family Friendly Workplaces: Family Forward NC® License Certification
October 15 | 11:00 AM ET | Online
Hosted by North Carolina Early Childhood Foundation’s Family Forward NC® team, this session is designed for those outside of NC to learn more about how to inspire business leaders and employers to transform workplaces in your state. Featuring insights from First Things First, The Family Forward NorthWest Indiana Employer Lab.
ECFC Coffee Chat:
We're Brewing Connection | NC Attendee Meet & Greet
Tuesday, October 20 | Online | 2:00 PM ET
This October coffee chat is the perfect opportunity for ECFC members attending our Fall 2026 Member Meeting in Raleigh NC to meet other attendees. New staff or ECFC member? First-time attendee? Drop in and make some connections in advance of the meeting!