With the aim of improving educational quality, new instruments for quality management are being developed for both the school system and early childhood education, including daycare centers as part of youth services. At the same time, regional networks and municipal initiatives are emerging for an integrated, life-stage-spanning education policy at the local level. From the perspective of science and practice, this volume addresses concepts and development trends that are changing the governance structures of the school and early childhood systems. This lays the groundwork for a comparative examination of the governance structures of both systems and makes possible connections demonstrable.