Why should we be concerned about early childhood education?
High-quality early childhood education is an excellent investment for our community, state and nation. The evidence and support for this type of investment is very strong and has been growing in recent years.
Business Week included preschool education as one of its "25 Ideas for a Changing World" in 2002. Business Week said, "Given the strong evidence of its benefits to society, preschool education for the poor -- and perhaps all children -- is a must." The Committee for Economic Development, The Business Roundtable and Corporate Voices for Working Families have all issued reports and statements of support for high-quality early childhood education.
Early childhood education is a highly effective means of economic development. Art Rolnick, senior vice president and director of research at the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, has stated, "Early childhood development programs are rarely portrayed as economic development initiatives, and we think that is a mistake. Studies find that well-focused investments in early childhood development yield high public as well as private returns."
Parents certainly have the most important role to play in young children's lives. But they also need and deserve the support of the entire community in order to be successful.
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Nurturing children's minds and spirits in the first few years of life is crucial to their ability to thrive. There are enormous, long-term pay-offs when we dedicate energy and resources to our youngest children. The rewards will be great for them -- and all of us.
Bob Haines
Willmar
