In November 2006, in a statistical landslide, Arizona voters passed Proposition 203; a citizen's initiative that funds quality early childhood development and health.
Designed to be a voluntary system of early care and education, Proposition 203 included the following principles:
Local communities must come together to plan and administer what works best in their community.
It must be flexible enough to accommodate the unique demographics of our state.
It must be transparent and held accountable for outcomes.
With its passage, the Proposition created a new state level board known as the Arizona Early Childhood Development & Health Board. The Board subsequently adopted the name First Things First as an uplifting reference to the voter-enacted initiative, and to exemplify the importance of early childhood.
First Things First - because first experiences truly do lay the foundation for future successes.