The Morning Call: Pre-K programs help prepare next generation

I read with interest Lee Butz’s recent Your View (“Increased funding for preschool education a wise investment”) about the impact that pre-kindergarten programs can have on young learners.

As a retired rear admiral of the Coast Guard, I know firsthand just how difficult it is to find qualified men and women to fill the ranks.

A recent Wall Street Journal article reported that the “Defense Department estimates that 71 percent of the roughly 34 million 17- to 24-year-olds in the U.S. would fail to qualify to enlist in the military if they tried.” This level of ineligibility has obvious consequences for our armed services and civilian employers alike.

The documented impact of early education is impressive, and I am encouraged by the actions of local businesses to expand access to these services through the preschool scholarship program.
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