The earliest years of life shape everything that comes next. A child’s brain grows rapidly from pregnancy through the preschool years, and daily experiences at home, in early learning settings, and in the community can strengthen or strain that development.
Families raising young children while navigating poverty often face added stressors that can affect health, learning, and long-term outcomes. Because opportunity gaps can begin before kindergarten, real progress starts early and supports the people who influence children most, including parents, caregivers, and early childhood educators.
To create lasting change for Milestone 1: Entering School Ready to Learn, we focus on:
Closing the word gap and supporting enriching home environments
Expanding early health and developmental screenings
Ensuring access to high-quality early care and education
Strengthening and supporting the early childhood workforce
Preventing suspensions and expulsions in early learning settings
Every child deserves a strong start. From prenatal support and developmental screening to early learning and family engagement, Milestone 1 brings together schools, clinics, nonprofits, and community centers so Houston’s youngest learners are supported early and consistently.
Our prevention and empowerment framework begins in pregnancy and continues through the early years. We equip families, caregivers, educators, and community leaders with a shared readiness checklist and culturally grounded supports, with special focus in underserved neighborhoods.
This work is implemented in partnership with The Basics Houston, strengthening the day-to-day actions that help young children grow, learn, and thrive.
Milestone 1 is led by Milestone Chair Robyn Kebede, Director of The Basics Houston. Together with partners across Houston, this milestone aligns early learning, health, and family supports so more children enter kindergarten ready to thrive.
Building strong foundations through early learning, family engagement, and health integration.
Our Partners
Join the
Milestone 1
action team
Frequently Asked
Questions
It means children arrive at kindergarten with strong foundations in early language, social-emotional development, early literacy and numeracy readiness, and healthy routines that support learning. It also means families and early educators have the tools and supports to help children thrive.
Milestone 1 focuses on the earliest years of life, beginning in pregnancy and extending through early childhood. Our goal is to strengthen development and school readiness before children enter kindergarten.
We connect families to developmental screenings, early learning resources, and caregiver-centered workshops. We also partner with community organizations to make supports easier to access through trusted locations such as clinics, libraries, and neighborhood hubs.
You can join the Milestone 1 Action Team, volunteer at family events, sponsor initiatives, or partner with MBK Houston to expand early childhood supports. If you are a provider or community organization, we welcome collaboration to align resources and improve readiness outcomes.
Milestone 1 is led by Milestone Chair Robyn Kebede, Director of The Basics Houston. The Basics Houston helps families and caregivers strengthen early brain development through simple, everyday interactions that build language, connection, and learning readiness. Through this partnership, MBK Houston supports caregivers with practical tools and community-based learning opportunities that help children enter school ready to learn.