The Early Childhood Coalition of Hays County is set to host a free Early Childhood Summit May 10 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Texas State University in an effort to educate the public about the role that early childhood education plays in later academic success and workforce development.

The summit will feature a keynote address from Patrick Gill, the associate director of the Center for Social Measurement and Evaluation at Children at Risk, which is a nonpartisan research and advocacy organization that aims to address public policies that adversely affect children.

Attendees will also have the opportunity to view a documentary about early childhood education and have a conversation with the film’s co-director Greg Jacobs.

The Early Childhood Coalition of Hays County was established in 2015 and is made up of organizations including San Marcos CISD, Hays CISD, Community Action of Central Texas, Texas State University and the San Marcos Commission on Children and Youth.