National League of Cities Highlights Boston

In a recent profile, NLC highlights Boston's governmental success of thriving childhood opportunities. The National League of Cities chose to highlight how the City is "creating lasting Early Childhood impact".

The National League of Cities is a nonpartisan group of local government leaders from across the United States. NLC works to influence policy by providing training and resources to cities, towns, and villages. They learn from and share best practices to strengthen communities.

They write that Boston's success centers around three themes: Mayoral and Council Support, Cross-Departmental Collaboration, and Research and Data.

Mayoral and Council Support: 

Mayor Michelle Wu has committed to make Boston “the most family-friendly city in the country”. To fulfill this commitment, she launched the Office of Early Childhood (OEC) in 2022. Past mayors laid the groundwork for this, which the current administration strives to build upon. Under Mayor Wu, Boston is continuing to expand high-quality early education, childcare, and recreational activities. Additionally, there have been substantial investments in workforce development and system infrastructure to increase the number of quality childcare providers in the city.

Cross-Departmental Collaboration:

NLC writes about the importance of cross-departmental collaboration within a city. It is important to share knowledge and resources across offices to improve efficiency

OEC puts effort into improving communication and transparency with constituents. At the same time, they are building stronger partnerships with city agencies. This has been shown through OEC’s work with the Children’s Council.

The Office of Early Childhood partners with City departments to expand their work. These partnerships include Boston Public Schools, the Streets Cabinet, Emergency Management, and more. These partnerships ensure that early childhood priorities are embedded across city policies. These collaborations inform many new initiatives such as zoning and climate resilience.

Research and Data:

Boston utilizes quality research and data as central to the success of its approach to early education. Boston regularly partners with universities and experts to evaluate impact and guide improvement. OEC produces an annual Supply and Demand Report of childcare centers in the city. These efforts show the City's commitment to ensuring best practices for our youth.

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