Early Childhood Care & Education
Quality early learning experiences are an essential element to preparing children to succeed in kindergarten and beyond. The Virginia Department of Education helps prepare all children for kindergarten by supporting birth to five programming, including but not limited to the following:
- Virginia Preschool Initiative (VPI)
- Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE)
- Head Start and Early Head Start
- Child Care Centers and Family Day Homes
- Quality information for all publicly funded early childhood sites is available at EarlyChildhoodQuality.doe.virginia.gov
Watch the videos below to learn more.
VDOE Early Childhood State of the State Updates for Summer 2025
Jenna Conway, Chief of Early Learning and Specialized Populations delivers a comprehensive presentation in which she shares key updates for early childhood in Virginia. Click here to download the 2025 presentation (PDF).
Early Childhood Education: Key Ingredients
Every child deserves the chance to learn and grow early on so they can succeed later in life. Quality education begins with high-quality early learning.
Inclusion: What it takes to Educate ALL Children Together
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act both require early childhood programs to make reasonable accommodations and provisions for the inclusion of young children with disabilities.
Virginia's Focus on School Readiness
The years before a child enters school directly impact a child’s ability to thrive in kindergarten and beyond. School Readiness means preparing all children for kindergarten by supporting birth-to-five programming by:
- Using high-quality curriculum and assessment strategies
- Encouraging teacher-child interactions
- Providing individualized professional development
- Creating programming that supports family engagement
You can learn more about how Virginia supports quality learning and care environments in all birth-to-five settings by visiting our pages on VQB5 and Early Childhood Classroom Learning
For Families
Find information and resources for children from birth to age five here, including the following:
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Early childhood birth-to-five early learning and development standards
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Information about available programs, including public school preschool programs, Head Start/Early Head Start, and child care or family day homes.
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Information about VQB5 Quality Profiles