In recent years, however, the importance of making sure that all children get the best start they can has moved up on the public's agenda. We as a society have seen the positive impact that high-quality child care, prekindergarten education and family support — such as parenting classes — can have on children, families and communities.

To ensure that the children and their families in south-central Kansas succeed, more than 60 organizations from 13 cities have worked together as part of the Visioneering Wichita Birth to Kindergarten Strategic Alliance. We have built a strong coalition that already has successfully attracted public and private dollars to the effort.

This year — a year marked by contentious budget battles in Topeka — we were able to secure more than $1.1 million in state funding, which was matched by more than the required 10 percent in funds from a network of foundations, including the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, K.T. Wiedemann Foundation, Wichita Community Foundation, Wellington Community Foundation, Community Foundation of Greater Butler County, and Greater Newton Community Foundation.