A Growing Consensus on Early Learning
We hope everyone has enjoyed the summer and is getting geared up for the beginning of a new school year. From the federal to local levels, it is heartening to see the rise of widespread and bi-partisan agreement on an important issue –expanding access to quality early education for three- and four-year-olds.
According to a recent column in The Hill by Elliot Regenstein, in 36 states holding gubernatorial elections this year, both incumbents and candidates on both sides of the aisle agree that investing more in early childhood learning is needed to prepare students for future success.
Regenstein, author of Readiness: Preparing State Early Childhood Systems for a Brighter Future, states:
“For millions of families right now, high-quality early education and care is out of reach. In many areas there aren’t enough services to reach all families with young children, and in too many cases what services are available aren’t affordable or accessible. That’s why state funding and policy are so important, and it’s why governors of both parties have made it a part of their platforms.”
Some states, like Georgia, California and Colorado, are supporting universal state preschool programs. Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi are stressing early childhood education to improve literacy rates down the road. A number of other states – led by both Democrats and Republicans – are committing to improvements to early learning in quality and accessibility.
Regenstein reports:
“But while some states are getting ahead, others are falling behind by notinvesting in early childhood. That means families don’t have good options for their children, providers are stuck in a maze of bureaucracy and businesses are tryingto hire out of a shrunken workforce. That’s not a recipe for success in either theshort or long term.”
At Educating Florida’s Future, expanding access to quality early childhood education is one of our top priorities. We know that investing in early learning positively impacts students’ success throughout their academic careers and life.
Florida has not yet made the leap to committing the resources needed for this endeavor. Starting in 2005, Florida funds three hours a day of four-year-old preschool known as Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten (VPK) for all Florida children. Yet many Florida families cannot structure their days or finances around three hours a day. Florida does not provide any three-year-old preschool, and according to the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) scores only five out of 10 in quality standards and ranks 44th in the nation in per student spending.
We know what works. Quality early learning for three- and four-year olds yields high returns for the rest of a child’s life. Committing to full-day-funded quality early childhood learning for all Florida children would have a major impact on achieving academic excellence across our state.
We know what works. Quality early learning for three- and four-year olds yields high returns for the rest of a child’s life. Committing to full-day-funded quality early childhood learning for all Florida children would have a major impact on achieving academic excellence across our state.
To read the full article, go to Governors Invest Early Education.
Kind regards,
Laura HineExecutive DirectorWhile Laura is a member of the Pinellas County School Board, these views and those expressed through Educating Florida’s Future are her own and do not represent Pinellas County Schools or the Pinellas County School Board.
