This paper highlights the significant benefit of developing a statewide community-level infrastructure as a core component of a statewide early childhood system. It provides an overview of the key lessons BUILD team members and systems-building partners have learned over the years. The recommendations and reflections stem directly from the learnings from more than 20 models across the nation and highlight the most successful elements from the 12 most successful states, including lessons learned over the past 25 years from these states and communities. This document begins with core principles of inclusive systems design. It underscores the importance of alignment and communication and offers eight key elements of approaches that are working well in state/local models across the nation.
