About the Book
An enlightening overview of how early childhood education and care works in the United States and practical steps for how the systems of delivery might be improved

In Readiness, Elliot Regenstein dives into how states oversee publicly funded early childhood services. While early education and care have increasingly been treated as a public good, families still struggle to find the services they need. This book looks at the states seeking to develop coherent systems from a mix of care and education programs, highlighting successes achieved to date and laying out the challenges ahead. It is an insider’s guide to who makes which decisions in state early childhood systems—and how those decisions get made.

Readiness is available for purchase here.
For discounts on bulk orders, contact [email protected].
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Events
Washington, D. C. 
Thursday, February 19, 2026 at 4:30pm
800 Maine Ave, SW Penthouse, Washington, D.C. 20024
Join Elliot Regenstein in conversation with Marica Cox Mitchell, Bainum Family Foundation
Register here to attend.

New York, NY
Monday, February 23, 2026 at 6:30pm
P&T Knitwear, 180 Orchard Street, New York, NY 10002
Join Elliot Regenstein in conversation with Shira Mattera, MDRC. 
Register here to attend.

Ann Arbor, MI
Monday, March 16, 2026 at noon
Joan & Sanford Weill Hall, Room 1110, 735 S State St, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Register here to attend.

Past Events
Chicago, IL February 10, 2026
Publicity