Breaking Down the Iron Triangle of Early Care and Education
If quality child care costs more than most families can afford, why is the child care market not financially stable? When developing a budget or business plan, a child care center must consider the iron triangle: full enrollment,...
Seeking Early Childhood Education Campaign Director
Excel by Eight (E8) envisions a state where all children have access to quality health care and education that maximizes their full potential, regardless of gender, income, race/ethnicity, disability, or geography. We are committed to increasing children’s health and...
Equipping Kids with Life Skills
A long-time youth mentor, Coach Larry Clark, Sr. understands the critical need for all children and families to have access to year-round educational opportunities and supportive services. It’s why he founded Life Skills for Youth (LSY) in 2006. Under his leadership,...
Recapping the 2021 Legislative Session
During the record breaking 108-day convening of the 93rd General Assembly in Arkansas, nearly 1,000 bills went on to become law. Several of them, including the ones highlighted below, were favorable to Excel by Eight’s mission to improve Arkansas families' access to a...
Excel by Eight, Explained: Data Walks
Data walk in Conway County, September 2019 Data is at the root of every Excel by Eight (E8) Community planning process. One key component that guides our local steering committees’ work: public input from parents, educators, health professionals, and other residents....
The State of Arkansas’s Babies
How does Arkansas measure up when it comes to implementing policies and programs that help babies reach their full potential? As ZERO TO THREE’s the State of Babies Yearbook: 2021 shows, even before COVID-19, the littlest among us faced big challenges. Most alarming,...
Welcoming Union County
Located in south central Arkansas, Union County has long been hailed by residents and visitors alike for its high quality of life. Since the oil boom era, it has developed into a thriving community with diverse industries, outdoor amenities, cultural institutions, and...
FAQ: Excel by Eight Communities
Conway, Independence, Monroe, Pulaski, Sevier, and, now, Union. How did these Arkansas counties get involved with Excel by Eight (E8)? Designed to be local models for change, these E8 Communities are focused on improving children’s health and education outcomes by...
Celebrating School Breakfast Month: A Sevier County Q&A
When we’re hungry, it can be difficult to think of anything but our next snack or meal. Without a refuel, our moods, behaviors, and well-being soon begin to suffer. For far too many Arkansas children, this feeling of persistent hunger is their everyday reality....
Healthier smiles, healthier children
The following post was originally written by Chrissy Chatham as an op-ed for Talk Business & Politics and published February 13, 2021. The original article can be found here. if we’re sick or in pain, it can be difficult to focus on or complete work-related...