Conway County is an exceptional example of a community choosing collaboration over competition, with three public school districts and other agencies cooperating on the implementation of Excel by Eight. The committee is using available data, public input, and Early Development Instrument (EDI) outcomes to set quantifiable goals to improve health and education outcomes for children ages birth to eight. The EDI is a population measure of how young children are developing based on the five domains of early childhood development: physical health and wellbeing; social competence; emotional maturity; language and cognitive skills; and communication skills and general knowledge. Kindergarten teachers in each school district completed the assessment for their students.