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The Ready by 21® Quality Counts initiative provided leaders and intermediaries from 12 cities and states around the country with a bold challenge – improving the quality and reach of out-of-school time programming.

In this issue, we focus on early childhood. We lead with an introduction from Nina Sazer O’Donnell, Vice President of Education for United Way Worldwide, the signature partner of Ready by 21. Then we review several recent publications on this topic. A few reports focus on bolder strategies to improve early childhood program quality and ensure development across multiple areas.

Ready by 21 is a strategy that helps communities improve the odds that all youth will be ready for college, work, and life. Ready by 21 meets leaders where they are, challenges them to think and work differently, and helps them progress further and faster to deliver results for youth.

This interactive session provided an overview of the Results-Based Accountability (RBA) approach to measuring and improving the performance of organizations and community quality-of-life in a way that aligns with the Ready by 21 strategies.

The Ready by 21 Policy Coalition held its first Capitol Hill briefing, organized by Corporate Voices for Working Families in partnership with the Forum. Attendees included nearly 100 congressional staffers, federal executive branch leaders and national child and youth advocates.

The Ready by 21 Policy Alignment Guide helps policymakers ensure that new child and youth policies align with existing efforts to create a seamless system of supports.

Business leaders and educators must create meaningful, successful, and long lasting partnerships to ensure that all youth are ready for college, work and life. Collaboration between business and education can ensure that students graduate high school equipped with the skills necessary to thrive in the workplace, post-secondary education and life.

In this month's issue of Forum Flash, take advantage of several Ready by 21 trainings, including two free webinars and a two-day institute in Atlanta, Georgia. Also, see an inspiring video from a Ready by 21 community, Georgetown Divide in California, on their efforts and progress in empowering staff, improving practice and creating real change for youth.