The first eight years of life set the foundation for children’s learning, school, and life success. Unfortunately, race, place, language, ability, and zip code continue to determine whether children have the access and opportunities to flourish and be on track for school and life success. The urgency to act is now! This keynote will examine key evidence-informed factors that ensure all learners have access to joyful and enriching learning opportunities. Specifically, this presentation will cover some of the key features that can be aligned from PK-3 (i.e., the early grades) to improve the pathways for excellence for children and their families.