By the year 2000, all children in America will start school ready to learn. For five years, this has been our number one educational goal - yet today's children are not receiving the early care and education services that they deserve and the nation needs to reach this goal. Reinventing Early Care and Education, edited by two leading thinkers in the field, provides not only the necessary vision but a working blueprint for policy reform and program development. Reinventing Early Care and Education defines the essential elements of a quality system and suggests innovative strategies for improving pedagogy and practice in family child care homes and early childhood centers. It also offers alternative approaches to finance and governance and discusses how communities can mobilize citizens and the media to gain support for social change.