Early childhood education pays dividends

Like most important things, early childhood education is more complicated than it might seem. Unlike the K-12 system, which is dominated primarily by public education, early childhood is relatively unregulated, inconsistent in quality, lacks a common public understanding and is not supported by a broad funding base.

About 80 percent of mothers of preschool-age children and more than 60 percent of mothers with infants and toddlers are in the work force either by choice or necessity. This means an overwhelming majority of children are in settings outside the home before starting schooling at age 5. Do these settings help prepare a child for school or set them back, or are they merely a convenience for working parents? Child care is a necessity for working parents, but the responsibility of making that time productive for the child falls on us as a community.

As neurosciences matured in the 1990s, brain development research provided some compelling evidence regarding the way children’s brains grow. Our brains develop faster between birth and age 5 than any other period in our lives, and they also grow differently based on environmental factors. For example, children in unstable, inconsistent or violent environments over-stimulate parts of their brains triggered by frequent "fight or flight" responses. Also, children who sit in front of a television for long or frequent periods are engaging so little of their brains that their development could actually be regressing. Brain development research gives us an opportunity to consider the importance of quality early childhood education.

Research demonstrates the long-term return on investment from high-quality early education programs. The two most commonly cited research findings come from the Abecedarian Project at the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute and the High/Scope Perry Preschool Study. Both clearly indicate quality early childhood education settings produce a high return on investment. Conservative returns show $7 returned for every $1 invested, and I have seen estimates as high as $17 to $1. These are studies that started as early as 1962, giving us more than 40 years of returns. The Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis has taken this research to heart and is applying it to the mathematics of economics. They advocate for massive investments in early childhood education because it is good for the economy. When economists, neuroscientists, education researchers and social advocates all agree, I think it is time to take notice.

These factors clearly indicate early childhood should be an important consideration when establishing funding priorities and delivery systems to increase achievement. Unfortunately, our state has not identified this issue as one that deserves more concentrated attention.

Columbia is far ahead of the state in creating more consistency in the early childhood arena. That said, parents with young children still find a confusing spectrum of providers, advocates, referrals, program options and availability. Columbia Public Schools offers a Title I preschool program, early childhood special education and Parents as Teachers. And Head Start serves nearly 200 income-eligible families in Columbia.

There are registered, unlicensed, licensed and accredited child-care providers that offer care in a range of quality from deplorable to excellent. There are also many neighbors and relatives taking care of children who are not part of any "system." Children are in home settings, family settings, center-based care and school settings. There are referral services, training services, coordinating and supportive services. Now even community organizations such as the United Way, the Chamber of Commerce and First Chance for Children fund quality initiatives.

The Department of Health and Senior Services regulates child-care providers that choose to be licensed. The Department of Social Services provides child-care subsidies to income-eligible families at a rate that is the lowest in the country. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education provides minimal funding for early childhood programs through the Missouri Preschool Project, and the U.S. Department of Education gives public schools the option to use some Title I funds for preschool programs.

Recently, First Chance for Children accepted the responsibility of leading a local coordinating board for early childhood to attempt to make sense of all of this. I believe we are nearing a critical mass that will provide the demand for a more universal system.

Two things need to happen to rectify the situation described above. First, we need an accountability system that provides a scale by which every early childhood setting can be rated for quality. Right now it’s difficult for parents to sort through all the options to determine whether the care their child receives is in a healthy, positive environment where he or she is preparing for school success. Such a rating system has been conceived and is being piloted by MU’s Center for Family Policy and Research.

Second, that system should be used to start consolidating state funding. By consolidating funding, we can reasonably expect more consistent quality. Ultimately, universal access could grow out of this environment. I do not necessarily advocate for a purely public education system of early childhood education, but I do think all families should have quality options for their young children.

The Columbia Board of Education is serious about increasing student achievement, eliminating achievement disparities and maximizing resource efficiency. When we invest in early childhood education, we are investing in all of these goals. To interact with me and consider more on early childhood and other topics, please visit my blog at http://darinpreis.blogspot.com.

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Darin Preis is a member of the Columbia Board of Education.

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