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The Case For Investing In Early Education |
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The arguments for public investments in high-quality early education programs are as sound as they are numerous. Leading economists, brain researchers, social scientists, education experts and many others agree that early education is the most effective and least expensive way to close the achievement gap. And closing the achievement gap affects everything from the financial stability of households to individual business success to our economic competiveness on the international stage.
Parents, teachers, business leaders, education reformers, and politicians on both sides of the aisle, this is your issue. Oregon cannot lose when it makes wise investments in early childhood programs.
Click on each statement to learn more.
- Gaps in vocabulary and language proficiency between children from low-income families and their more affluent peers are detectable as early as 18 months.
- Children who are behind in reading in first grade have only a one-in-eight chance of ever catching up.
- Children who are poor readers in third grade are unlikely to graduate from high school.
- High-quality early education is the most cost-effective strategy for closing the achievement gap for at-risk children.
- Neuroscience has identified a critical opportunity during the first five years of life to positively affect a child’s chance for success in school and later life.
- The development that takes place before a child enters kindergarten influences a lifetime. Early childhood experiences – both good and bad – help shape brain development and establish the foundation for later learning.
- Birth to age 5 is a critical window of development that presents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to change the trajectory of a child’s life. Playing catch-up is less effective and more expensive than proactive investments in early education.
- High-quality early education programs, such as Head Start and Early Head Start, are the most effective strategy for closing the achievement gap.
- Head Start and Early Head Start provide emotionally supportive and language-rich environments that positively support the development of a child’s brain architecture.
- Head Start and Early Head Start provide at-risk children from low-income families with the high-quality early education they need to enter kindergarten ready to learn and eventually graduate from high school.
- Children’s Institute estimates a minimum return of $4 for every dollar invested in Oregon Head Start Prekindergarten. Other estimates range as high as $17 for every dollar invested in pre-k programs serving at-risk children.
- For every eligible child not enrolled in Head Start, Oregon will incur a net loss of at least $30,000 in the form of increased expenses and lost tax revenue.
- Investments in early education increase the effectiveness of the K-12 system.
- At-risk kids who attend Head Start and Early Head Start are less likely to need expensive remedial and special education programs or to be incarcerated.
- High-quality early education reduces the demand for adult social services.
- Brookings Institute and Princeton University found that the most promising strategy for closing the achievement gap is to offer high-quality, center-based early education to 3- and 4-year-olds from low-income families and to involve parents in their children’s early education.
- As adults, children who attend Head Start and Early Head Start are more likely than other at-risk children to be employed and contribute to Oregon’s economy.
- As adults, children who attend Head Start and Early Head Start earn more and pay more taxes than at-risk children who did not have a high-quality early education.
- Oregon needs a well-educated workforce if it is to compete in a globally competitive economy. Head Start and Early Head Start help kids arrive at school ready to learn, putting them on the right track for success in school and the workplace.
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