Families are their children's first and most important teachers, advocates, and nurturers. As such, strong family engagement is central--not supplemental--to the success of early childhood systems and programs that promote children's healthy development, learning, and wellness. Effective family engagement practices are a marker of quality early childhood programming. Together, States, LEAs, and schools and early childhood programs have the responsibility to promote and implement effective family engagement to improve children's learning, development, and wellness. (author abstract)