The case for public policy and public investment in very young children.

1. A Public Agenda for
Early Childhood
Presented to: Southern Education Foundation
By: Pat Willis
Executive Director
June 6, 2012

2. Today’s Agenda
• Why early childhood is important
• Current status of investments and
outcomes
• Politics of early childhood
• Reasons for optimism
• Key messages for advocacy
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3. Why Early Investment is Important
for Children
– By age three:
• Advantaged child knows 1200 words
• Disadvantaged child knows 400 words
– By age four:
• Advantaged child has heard 48 million words
• Disadvantaged child has heard 13 million words
– By age five:
• 90% of brain developed
• < 10% of public investment expended
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4. The Illi
Disparities in Early Vocabulary Growthenda:
Language Acquisition
1200
College Educated
Cumulative Vocabulary (Words)
Parents
Working Class
600
Parents
Welfare
Parents
200
16 mos. 24 mos. 36 mos.
Child’s Age (Months)
Source: Hart & Risley (1995)

5. Current Status of Public Investments
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6. Why Early Investment is Important
for America
– Short term savings
• On special education, reduced grade retention
– Long term savings
• On welfare, substance abuse, incarceration
• $7 saved per $1 invested
– Workforce development
• Higher HS graduation rate and college-going rate
– Military readiness
• Through HS graduation, drug and crime avoidance
5

7. THE SOUTH: Leading in Investment,
Lagging in Performance
• 9/15 states rate 9-10 on quality of Pre-K
– Only 6 other states rate 9-10
• 9/15 states rank above the national
average on $ for 0-5 vs. $ for 6-18
• 10/15 states are below the national % of
4th graders reading at or above proficient
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8. Current Political Environment
• State revenues down; no growth and cuts to
continue in education
• Local school districts hampered by lower tax digests
• Federal budget cuts in safety net programs
• Increasingly hostile political environment for
traditional public schools and those receiving
benefits
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9. Reasons for Optimism
• Leadership and incentives from federal
government
• Stronger collaboration of federal and state
agencies
• Partnership for America’s Economic
Success – business-led
• Mission Readiness – Military leadership
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10. Deliver the Message
• Early investment produces good results for kids and for
America!
• There are no do-overs for childhood.
• An investment in young children today reduces costs for
special education and remediation tomorrow.
• Children who attend quality Pre-K programs are more
likely to graduate and become taxpayers.
• Quality is essential: lower child/adult ratios, pay for well
prepared teachers, develop children with the right
curriculum.
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11. Thank You! For more info:
Pat Willis
pwillis@georgiavoices.org
www.georgiavoices.org
(Presentation available on SlideShare,net, User: GeorgiaVoices)