This month, as millions of children across California begin their first days of school, some children will start the year more prepared than others. Although each child is born learning, too few have the opportunity to attend high-quality early childhood education programs, which build a solid foundation in the social, early reading and math skills they need to succeed in school.
Unfortunately, it is often those kids who need it most that do not have access to attend such programs and research shows children who start behind too often stay behind throughout their school careers.
State Superintendent Jack O’Connell recently reiterated the importance of high-quality early learning when he released the Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) Program results. O’Connell noted that while California’s students continue to make academic progress, a significant achievement gap remains, partly because many children start kindergarten without the advantage of a high-quality preschool program.
Numerous researchers have illustrated how early childhood provides a window of opportunity to dramatically shape a child’s brain when it is rapidly developing. It is in these first few years that children develop the linguistic, cognitive, social and emotional building blocks for later development. By the time children enter kindergarten, those who have attended high-quality preschool have already learned their letters and numbers, as well as important social skills such as following directions and sharing with their peers. Research shows children who receive the strong, early start that high-quality preschool provides, are more likely to succeed in school and into adulthood.
Economic analyses have shown that high-quality early education is a proven investment in our children, communities and state, offering one of the highest returns of any public investment -- $7 to $16 for every dollar spent.
While our state faces a substantial budget crisis, new funds may be available to assist California in our efforts to support the foundation for children’s success in school and in life. However, eligibility for these funds is contingent upon the creation of state Early Learning Advisory Council, which is currently in the works.
The state Early Learning Advisory Council will coordinate California’s work in early childhood education. Having such a council is an integral component of President Obama’s early learning agenda because it ensures efficiency, effectiveness and accountability in states’ early childhood education efforts.
Just as investing in the earliest years of a child’s life yields great returns, taking early steps such as creating an Early Learning Advisory Council are necessary to yield millions in federal funds. By raising the quality of California’s early childhood education programs and increasing access to them, we can fundamentally change not only our children’s future, but our state’s as well.
Preschool California is a nonprofit advocacy organization working to increase access to high-quality preschool for all of California’s children, starting with those who need it most. It brings together K-12 educators, business leaders, parents, labor, law enforcement, early care and education providers, faith-based institutions, community leaders and others to achieve this goal.
