Learning from Starting Points.

In 1994, the Carnegie Corporation released "Starting Points: Meeting the Needs of Our Youngest Children," which called for an action agenda to promote responsible parenthood, guarantee quality child care choices, ensure good health and protection, and mobilize communities to support young children and families. In 1996, the Carnegie Corporation created a Starting Points grant program to encourage states and communities to address the challenges posed by its earlier report. This report examines how Starting Points grantees have begun to develop learning systems through a variety of promising approaches. The lessons that can be drawn from Starting Points grantees' learning systems are explored. The report ends with a discussion of how these activities come together as a learning system to become a practical tool for the collection, dissemination, and use of information leading to better outcomes for young children. Three appendices contain an annotated bibliography, information on methodology, and a list of Starting Points Grantees and Strategic Partners. (Contains 17 references.) (Author/SD)