Raising Up Leaders: Why Quality Early Learning Matters April 28, 2009.

Raising Up Leaders:Why Quality Early Learning Matters

April 28, 2009

Children Are Our Future

Another View of That Future

What Happens Early On … Matters Most

Foundation Built In First 5 Years

• Building brains is like building houses

• Framework built in first 5 years is foundation for all future learning

• Stress weakens brain architecture

5

Normal Healthy Child Child with Sensory-Deprivationand Global Neglect

CT scans from research by Perry and Pollard (1997).

Note: Both children had an average head size (50th percentile) at time of scan.

The Status Quo

Nationally

• Almost 50% of America’s kindergarteners are behind – disadvantaged children by another 2 years

• Preschoolers in high-income brackets score 60% higher in cognitive scores than lowest-wage brackets

In Alabama

• 24% of children live in poverty

• Only 38% of 4th graders are reading on track

• 35% of high school students drop out

More than 50% for children of color

Achievement Gap Starts Before School

• For every 50 children who don’t learn to read in kindergarten, 44 of them will still have trouble in 3rd grade

• Children without reading skills by 3rd grade are unlikely to graduate

Grades & absenteeism rates by 3rd grade predict with 90% accuracy whether the child will drop out

Public Spending & Brain Research: The Disconnect

Brain Development

Public Spending*

Source: The RAND Corporation

Another Way to View the Disconnect

While 85% of a child's core brain structure is formed by age three, less than 4% of public investments on education and development have occurred by that time.

11

United Way Success By 6

*SOURCE: 1 – Montgomery Advertiser 2003.

About 82% of all Alabamians in prison are high school dropouts. It cost about $20,000 a year to house a prisoner. In comparison, a year of high-quality preschool costs about $4,800.1

Alabama budgets $17.4 million to pre-k programs.

Compare this to our neighbors:• Tennessee budgets $83 million• Georgia budgets $337 million• Florida budgets $356 million

State of Alabama Statistics

Workforce Challenges

• More than 50% of high school students lack the written, verbal, critical thinking, problem-solving skills employers need

• 20% of today’s workforce is functionally illiterate

• Growing gap: US economy will add fewer educated workers in next 20 years, compared to last 20

Supporting Work & Productivity

• Child care-related absences cost employers $3 billion a year

– Average employee misses 8-9 days per year

• Child care breakdowns associated with parent-employee absenteeism, tardiness, reduced concentration

• Early learning is part of infrastructure for economic success

Business Leaders Speak Out

“Economic analysis tells us that early childhood education is a sound investment of limited resources. Scientific research tells us it is an effective strategy to improve educational outcomes. Common sense tells us that it is what children need.”

Mara Aspinall, President of Genzyme Genetics

The Economist’s View

The Economist’s Takeaway

• “Policymakers should invest in young children, where the return on investment is stronger than in low-skill adults.”

• “The real question is how to use available funds wisely. The best evidence supports the policy prescription: invest in the very young.”

James Heckman Nobel Laureate Economist

University of Chicago

ROI of Early Childhood Education

Studies show early learning influences long-term success

School successGraduation

Workforce ReadinessJob Productivity

Community Engagement

Special Education CostGrade Repetition

CrimeTeen Parents

Welfare DependencyJob Training Costs

ROI From the Federal Reserve

Federal Reserve research found a 12% rate of return for early learning

“Recent research…has documented the high return that early childhood programs can pay.“

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke to Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce

Building Human Capital = Building The Future

“High-quality early childhood education is one of the best investments a nation can make in its young people.”

New Commission on Skills of the American Workforce

Get Involved!

Four Actions You Can Take

1. Get the facts

2. Spread the word (to your employees too)

3. Give – of yourself

4. Make the case

5. Consider making a financial investment

Children are our future

Thank you