With steady investment and bipartisan support from Virginia’s governors and legislature, local Smart Beginnings have brought public and private leaders together to collaborate on priorities for young children since 2005. Building from this asset, Ready Regions brings unprecedented levels of coordination, accountability, and family engagement to early education programs in every community in the Commonwealth. As of July 1, 2022, Ready Regions are helping every Virginia community to be:
- Accountable. Virginia’s early education system must prepare children for success.
- Parent-centered. Families must be engaged in designing a system that works for them.
- Responsive. Parents must be able to choose the child care they want and need.
- Reliable. Early education programs need consistent supports to deliver quality services.
- Bold. Every community in Virginia should be a place where families can thrive. Ready Region West consists of the cities of Buena Vista, Covington, Lexington, Martinsville, Roanoke, and Salem; and the counties of Alleghany, Bath, Botetourt, Craig, Franklin, Henry, Highland, Patrick, Roanoke, and Rockbridge. United Way of Roanoke Valley serves as the Ready Region West lead. The Ready Regions lead is responsible for on-the-ground coordination and integration of essential early childhood care and education (ECCE) services and resources. Although one organization is identified as the Ready Regions lead, they must partner with school divisions, social and human services, quality improvement networks, ECCE programs, and other organizations involved in Virginia’s public-private early childhood system. For additional information, visit https://vecf.org/ready-region-west/ and https://www.uwrv.org/.
