The city of Birmingham was selected as one of five cities that will replicate a free, early childhood education program in partnership with Bloomberg Philanthropies. Incubated locally by the Overton Project, the new program will replicate Providence Talks, which aims to increase interactive talk with children to foster early brain development. Birmingham Talks will involve a specialized coaching curriculum with progress reports captured by a talk pedometer that counts the number of words spoken in a child’s presence at both homes and daycares. Given the results in Providence, the implementers are optimistic about what the program could mean for Birmingham, where education has long been cited as a key challenge. Birmingham Talks will serve 2,500 children across Jefferson County over the next three years.