By George L. Pla

As founder of the USC Mexican American Alumni Association and a member of the Board of Regents of Loyola Marymount University, I used to think giving students an education that enables them to compete in the global economy meant providing them with high school or college scholarships to help them reach graduation day.

But a significant body of research, including a new study by the RAND Corporation, has convinced me that may be too late, because by then our kids are already at a huge disadvantage. The RAND research shows that California has a significant achievement gap that is evident as early as the day they enter kindergarten.

Our children are coming to school without the basic early reading and social skills that prepare them to learn and succeed, and those who start out behind tend to stay behind, RAND finds. By third grade almost two thirds of students are not proficient in English-language arts, and 42 percent are not proficient in math.

Even more alarming is that the gap is larger for Latino, African-American and English learner students – the very children who will make up our future workforce. Though Latino children are the fastest- growing population in California, only about half of 3 and 4 year olds are in early care and education – the lowest rate of any ethnic group, RAND finds.

At a time when we are searching for ways to turn our economy around, we must remember that high-quality early childhood education is a vital strategy for economic growth, and can help immediate recovery. That’s why President Obama and Congress approved the federal stimulus package which included $5 billion for early childhood education, $500 million of which may come to California.

The case for investing our resources early on is strong. I am proud to have played a part in raising $40 million for the USC Mexican American Alumni Association, but I know we must also devote more attention to the beginning of the education pipeline to ensure that children can take advantage of those resources.

Brain development research shows early experiences shape whether a child’s brain develops a strong foundation for the learning, health and behavior that follow.  High-quality preschool can help close the achievement gap, and economic analyses also confirm its high return on investment. Every dollar spent on high-quality early learning generates $7 to $17 in the form of reduced spending on welfare, education and crime, and increased tax revenue.

As founder of the Cordoba Corporation, a civil engineering and construction management firm, and of Santa Ana Business Bank, I have seen firsthand what happens when employees do not have basic social skills such as problem solving, resolving conflicts and accepting new responsibilities that preschool develops. Equally as important is the pre-math and pre-literacy foundation early education builds.

The good news is that RAND identifies a way forward, and its report confirms California policy is on the right track. Development of a quality rating and improvement system to increase accountability, evaluate quality and provide financial incentives to reach higher quality is in progress. Programs have been consolidated and bureaucracy has been reduced, making the most of the resources that are available.

However, we must maximize new resources that are becoming available through the federal stimulus package. Policymakers must act quickly and thoughtfully to invest in effective programs that strengthen our early learning system.

By failing to address early childhood development, we are jeopardizing our own future. We can no longer allow our children to enter school unprepared to learn and succeed.
We must offer our kids a complete and competitive education, and that starts with early childhood education. The payoff will be clear: more children will participate in commencement ceremonies, contribute to a strong economy and help us build thriving communities.