DOUBLE TAP TO ZOOM WITH PHONE OR TABLET “As Stacie Goffin points out, this is a defining moment for early childhood educa- tion. Public need and demand for high-quality early childhood programs continue to grow. Federal and state policies play an important role in early childhood edu- cation, but that role should be supportive, not directive or field defining. This will happen only with a unified voice from the early childhood field that articulates how best to prepare, support, compensate, and hold accountable educators and programs for meeting the needs of the children and families they serve. Goffin has put forth a compelling case and framework for moving forward. The field should embrace it and begin the work to ‘change from inside out’ and become a true profession.” —L aura B ornfreund , D eputy D irector , E arly E ducation I nitiative at N ew A merica “Stacie Goffin makes a strong case to confront the hard questions that divide the early childhood field of practice. She’s right. The time has come to unify and professionalize the field—not just rhetorically but as evidenced by the caliber of interactions with children and their families. We all need to reflect on our roles and rethink our positions if together we are going to reengineer an early care and education system that offers infants, toddlers, and young children the early learn- ing experiences they so richly need and deserve.” —M atthew E. M elmed , E xecutive D irector , Z ero to T hree “Few can any longer deny that ECE’s fragmentation is hurtful to children and to ECE as a field of practice. Few can now deny that inclusive early learning settings for young children are beneficial to all involved—whether children with typical trajectories of development or those whose development pathways diverge from this trajectory. Fulfilling the aspirations of ECE, though, requires that we enter into the conversations Goffin proposes. Kudos to her for preparing this guide for our journey.” —P amela W inton , P h D, S enior S cientist and D irector of O utreach , F rank P orter G raham C hild D evelopment I nstitute , U niversity of N orth C arolina –C hapel H ill COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL