This report is the result of the first consultative meeting of international and U.S. experts in the field of early childhood education and care (ECEC). In addition to providing information on international developments in ECEC, a primary objective of the meeting was to identify possible policy, program, research, and demonstration ideas of relevance to ECEC in the United States that foundations might want to support. Special attention was paid to such topics as: (1) trends and issues in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD); (2) staffing of ECEC programs--staff training, qualifications, and compensation; (3) the costs of ECEC programs and how they are financed, including the role of parent fees; (4) the links between ECEC and primary school; and (5) the state of knowledge regarding outcomes of ECEC programs. The meeting included presentation and discussion of several research papers, which are included here: (1) "An Overview of ECEC Developments in the OECD Countries" (Sheila B. Kamerman); (2) "Workforce Issues in Early Childhood Education and Care" (Peter Moss); (3) "Cross-National Variation in ECEC Service Organization and Financing" (Marcia K. Meyers and Janet C. Gornick); (4) "Hand in Hand: Improving the Links between ECEC and Schools in OECD Countries" (Michelle J. Neuman); and (5) "Goals and Curricula in Early Childhood" (John Bennett). Each paper contains references. Also included is Sheila B. Kamerman's report of the meeting, information on the papers' authors, and a list of meeting participants. (EV)