The Times Leader: Giving children a head start can help Pennsylvania’s economy
A recent commentary on the economic benefits of early learning (“For region’s sake, let’s rally to deliver top-notch early childhood education,” June 26) gave The Times Leader’s readers an excellent overview of how high-quality early childhood education programs save money for taxpayers while helping to build a better educated, more competitive workforce in Northeastern Pennsylvania.
Over the course of my career in early learning, I have seen firsthand how quality programs such as Head Start prepare children for success in school and life – particularly among children who are at higher risk of academic failure due to poverty or other circumstances that are beyond their control. When we nurture these young minds at such a critical period in their development, we prepare them to persevere and succeed despite the obstacles they might face.
Read more at the source.
Business570: Quality pre-K education reaps long-term economic benefits
The bottom line for business is that early learning opportunities for our children have tremendous long-term benefits for our workforce.
Beyond business, high-quality pre-k helps virtually every aspect of our communities and our quality of life. Let’s track some of those benefits through the life of a child:
■ By better preparing children for kindergarten, high-quality pre-k has been shown to save money in our K-12 schools by reducing the need for special education and remedial instruction.
■ By better preparing young learners for K-12 (particularly kids at high-risk of academic failure) pre-k has been shown to decrease dropouts and increase the rates of graduation and college enrollment.
Read the full story at the source.
Centre Daily Times: Support Early Ed initiatives
Norman Rich’s recent oped, “Quality early learning instills STEM skills and core character traits,” CDT, June 23), does a terrific job in identifying the impact that high-quality early learning can have on young learners and the future workforce.
Considering that approximately 70 percent of our nation’s state prison population failed to receive a high school diploma, education is a pivotal factor between incarceration and productive citizenship.
Knowing this connection from research and experience, law enforcement leaders have long supported investments in high quality pre-kindergarten as a key crime prevention strategy.
MetroKids: The Pre-K for PA Campaign
When Tonja Claxton’s daughter started Kindergarten this past school year, she was well prepared. After attending a state-funded preK program for two years, school was nothing new.
“I’m thankful that my child was exposed to an amazing curriculum in pre-Kindergarten,” says the Philadelphia mom, who says she could not have afforded preschool without financial assistance. “As a low-income parent and single mother, I knew that early childhood education was important, and I noticed a difference between my child’s development with a supportive system and without.”
Because Claxton believes that every child, regardless of family income, should have that same advantage, she now advocates for early childhood education as a volunteer for Pre-K for PA.
More at the source.
Citizens’ Call: Cheltenham Schools Superintendent, Other Education Leaders, Assert Pre-K Priority
PA’s grassroots advocacy campaign for a statewide program of quality pre-kindergarten education services recently won the endorsement of Cheltenham Superintendent Natalie Thomas. Pre-K for PA, which aims to be a bullhorn for the notion that every three and four-year-old in the state should have an open door to an education program of high standards, has gained the support of more than two dozen PA school superintendents, including Thomas, who signed an open letter calling for state investment in high-quality pre-k.
“Considering all of the benefits of quality early learning opportunities – particularly when it comes to preparation for school – ensuring access to high-quality pre-k for all children should be a state budget policy priority,” said Thomas. “As I see day in and day out, if all children have the same chance to attend a quality early learning program, we can ensure they will be ready for kindergarten, future academic achievement and lifelong success.”
Read the full story at the website.
