Although the FPG Child Development Institute's primary mission is to generate new knowledge, this research is in the service of a higher goal: child and family well being. This goal is distilled in their tag line: "Advancing knowledge, enhancing lives." This phrase is not just a tag line--it encapsulates 40 years of striving to be an objective, knowledgeable force for social change in the service of this nation's youngest citizens. This issue of "Early Developments" describes the history of FPG's efforts to help educate at-risk and special needs children, and discusses the methods they use to ensure that high standards apply to early childhood practices. Topics of interest covered are: (1) How FPG Got Its Groove; (2) Measuring & Improving Quality; (3) FPG--A Place for All Children; and (4) FirstSchool. A listing of recent FPG publications and a tribute to outgoing director Don Bailey conclude this publication. [A list of publications for expanded reading is provided at the end of each article.]