03/12/2026
Today at the America’s Workforce Blueprint for a National Talent Strategy Summit in Washington, DC, hosted by the , Fort Worth made a powerful case for why early education must be central to a national workforce strategy.
During the panel discussion, Local Leaders Turning Policy into Opportunity, Mayor Parker highlighted a stark imbalance in how we invest in children:
“On average, a state spends $12,000 on K–12 education and less than $500 per student ages 0–5. That’s where all your brain development is happening. Cities are your innovation centers for early education—and the work mentioned in this report shows why cities should lead. I’d love that for Fort Worth, because we have some of the best early education leaders in the entire country.”
Her message was clear: if we want a resilient, competitive workforce, we must start earlier - and think locally.
Cities are uniquely positioned to turn national policy into real opportunity by investing in early learning, supporting educators, and building strong pipelines that connect early childhood to long‑term economic mobility.
Fort Worth is proud to be part of this national conversation and to help lead what’s next. The future of our workforce begins with our youngest learners—and the communities willing to invest in them.
