The First 2000 Days: Progress and Future

Published October 25, 2016 at 7:18 PM EDT

In October 2015, content partners ideastream, Cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer kicked off a year of coverage exploring the science, best practices and economics of early childhood education. Since then the partners have produced a stream of stories, videos, and programs on the web, radio, television and in print that examined topics such as measuring pre-school quality, factors that influence the healthy development of infants and toddlers, cost of childcare, funding challenges and opportunities for universal pre-k and much more. The partners wrap-up their year-long “First 2000 Days” coverage with a progress report and a look ahead.

The First 2000 Days: Progress and Future will explore this past year - the top assets and challenges affecting children 0-5 years old as well as the progress of local agencies and organizations, and look ahead to what targets should we focus on in the future.

The Keynote speaker is Bill Isler, Chief Executive Officer of The Fred Rogers Company and a longtime professional educator and advocate for children.

Joining him are panelists: Eric Gordon, Chief Executive Officer of the Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD); Dr. Thea Wilson, Vice President for Children and Families at the Council for Economic Opportunities in Greater Cleveland; Sharon Sobol Jordan, Chief of Staff, Cuyahoga County; and Dr. Akram Boutros, President and Chief Executive Officer of The MetroHealth System.

The moderator is Mike McIntyre, the host of The Sound of Ideas® on WCPN.

PNC Bank is sponsoring the series as part of its investment in early-childhood programs.