Under the leadership of First 5 Ventura County, the Economic Development Collaborative of Ventura County, California State University Channel Islands, and the Limoneira Company, 20 business and community leaders joined last month for inaugural meeting of a dynamic new alliance. The goal: to bring local businesses to the table as we work together to support early education and help children, families, businesses and communities thrive.

“We know that making early investments is key to improving the lives of local families and economic vitality of our communities” explains First 5 program manager Petra Puls.

Mounting research shows that investing in quality early education not only helps close the academic achievement gap by addressing a school readiness gap, but it also has significant economic benefits: it supports the current workforce, builds the foundation for our future workforce and shows a greater return on investment than any remedial program.

"We also know that business thinking can bring an important perspective to our work with children and families."

According to Preschool California's Business Case for Preschool, "A well-educated, qualified workforce is the cornerstone of a vibrant economy and prosperous communities. High-quality early learning helps cultivate that skilled workforce by narrowing the achievement gap and giving young children a solid foundation in critical early social and academic skills."

Watch for more as this new partnership takes shape.