About Us
Early childhood education is the key to the betterment of society.
– Maria Montessori
Mission + Vision
Our mission is to ensure children, birth-five, with the greatest needs, are prepared for success in kindergarten and life ahead.
We envision a county where all children are valued, supported and on the path to lifelong happiness and success.
What We Do
Improve the quality, accessibility and affordability of early care and education programs in Wake County
Support early literacy, teach healthy habits, and create outdoor learning environments
Fund local community programs that provide at-home and group family support services, preventive health, mental health and early intervention services
Support an integrated early childhood system to ensure continuum of care and efficient and effective services
Convene early childhood professionals, policy makers, communities and families to nurture the growth and development of young children
Case for Support
Investing in early childhood programs delivers an ROI of 13% per child, per year, by reducing future societal costs, creating a pipeline for a well-trained workforce and ultimately making our county a desired destination for both working families and growing businesses.
Priorities
Ensuring Access
WCSS is committed to centering our work in the lived experiences of our communities and families.
To achieve our mission of improving outcomes for young children with the greatest needs in Wake County, we work with our community partners to remove barriers to access, co-create new structures and implement strategies that help all children and families thrive.
Family Engagement and Leadership
WCSS sees families as partners and values their lived experiences, knowledge and expertise. We are committed to implementing North Carolina’s Early Childhood Family Engagement and Leadership Framework to ensure that families are active participants in the goals and decisions about their children and in the work we do.
Data-Informed Decision-Making
WCSS values data as an integral part of understanding family and community needs, the program and services improvement process and measuring program impact. We work to ensure WCSS and our partners use qualitative (stories) and quantitative (metrics) data, especially data that tells the stories and experiences of families and captures what is meaningful to the families and communities we serve.
Our History
Over 25 years ago, Governor Hunt responded to the call for a better early childhood education system in North Carolina by establishing Smart Start. His vision was to ensure that every child start school healthy and ready to learn. Soon after, in 1996, Wake County Smart Start was officially formed. We are one of 75 local partnerships led by The North Carolina Partnership for Children, Inc. (NCPC).
