Montana Governor and Mrs. Schweitzer join call for early education as a driving force for successful economic development
Reader Comments
| October 6, 2006 |  View for printing |
For a long time, Gov. Schweitzer believed the best way to address the increasing demand for skilled workers was to increase funding for higher education and, particularly for two-year programs, to help rapidly turn out a work force ready to meet shifting employment needs.
But at the most recent Western Governors Conference, four world-renowned education specialists changed his mind. They told him that, were they in charge of dividing up the education dollars, they would all - unanimously - give more funds to early childhood education.
Children who have a good start from the beginning are better prepared to enter kindergarten, which leaves them better prepared to enter first grade, and so on all the way through college, he learned.
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In fact, studies have shown that investments in early education have measurable rates of return, he said. Indeed, one study showed a rate of return of 16 percent.
“That's a very high rate of return, and most of that is public,” he said. “You can't find a better rate of return.”
Yet we continue to allow cities and states to engage in bidding wars, each attempting to lure business from the others with promises of new buildings erected on the public dime, Rolnick said.
True, investments in buildings produce an immediate, tangible, visible return. But competition among communities just moves jobs around and gets the government involved where it's not known to be particularly efficient, he said.
“That's the wrong way to do economic development,” he said.
By TYLER CHRISTENSEN of the Missoulian
Full Story: http://missoulian.com/articles/2006/ ... /news06.txt
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A Proposal for Achieving High Returns on Early Childhood Development http://www.minneapolisfed.org/resear ... roposal.pdf
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Education Reform. The Finance Project’s Education Reform practice group http://www.matr.net/article-21028.html
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New Collaborative to Promote Research and Policy Analysis on Early Childhood Development
The Center for Early Education and Development at the University of Minnesota, and the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis are teaming up to enhance multidisciplinary research on high-profile policy discussions on early childhood development.
The Early Childhood Research Collaborative (ECRC) is a unique partnership that brings together prominent researchers and faculty members in a variety of disciplines at the university with economists at the Federal Reserve to develop and synthesize research on cost-effective investments in early childhood.
http://www.earlychildhoodrc.org/news/release.cfm
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Effects of a School-Based, Early Childhood Intervention on Adult Health and Well Being: A 20-Year Follow Up of Low-Income Families http://www.earlychildhoodrc.org/pape ... lds_cpc.pdf
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Standardized Classroom Observations From Pre-K to 3rd Grade: A Mechanism For Improving Access To Consistently High Quality Classroom Experiences and Practices During the P-3 Years http://www.earlychildhoodrc.org/pape ... vations.pdf
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The Productivity Argument for Investing in Young Children [Tables and Figures] http://www.earlychildhoodrc.org/pape ... vesting.pdf
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CED Releases Report on Economic Benefits of Investing in Preschool http://www.matr.net/article-19761.html
Universal preschool proposed in Calif. http://www.matr.net/article-19403.html
Full-day kindergarten. Montana kids deserve it now http://www.matr.net/article-19388.html
The Effects of Investing in Early Education on Economic Growth http://www.matr.net/article-19295.html
Universal preschool, universal benefits http://www.matr.net/article-18764.html
Early Childhood Education Endorsed as Economic Development Strategy http://www.matr.net/article-16895.html
States should invest in preschool http://www.matr.net/article-16764.html
Report Highlights Governors Leadership on Pre-Kindergarten http://www.matr.net/article-14516.html
Early education called business asset http://www.matr.net/article-14023.html
Reader Comments:
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I appreciate the leadership of Gov. and Mrs. Schweitzer, The Dennis & Phyllis Washington Foundation (special thanks to Mike Halligan and his staff) and the National Governors Association for Best Practices for organizing this excellent conference. All in Montana need to take the time to fully explore the compelling data that shows us that full life education from prenatal to 80 is vitally important to a vibrant economy. Then we all need to talk with our legislators about best ways to implement comprehensive programs throughout the state. Here are some of the ideas discussed at the June School Readiness Summit Best Beginnings for a Ready Workforce Recommendations from MT Communities - Sponsor parent education classes - Provide moe information regarding child care and other family services (Early Childhood Services web address http://vhsp.dphhs.state.mt.us:8084/MTEC_WEBSITE/ and the Early Childhood Project address http://www.montana.edu/ecp/index.htm.) - Offer flex time benefits for employees - Provide on-site childcare - Support early child care and education legislation - Provide child care scholarships - Create partnerships with local schools - Provide flexible options for parents with sick children - Build consortiums of business to work together on early childhood issues - Support the expansion of preschools, Head Starts, etc. - Encourage and support employee volunteering - Provide part-time employees with a regular work schedule - Allow employees to bring their babies to work - Accommodate breast feeding mothers - Permit employees to work at home when possible/necessary - Become involved with existing programs - Create job sharing opportunities - Promote philanthropic investment in early child care and education - Supply space to the community for meetings - Set up pre-tax spending accounts for employees that can be used for childcare - Donate goods and services - Ask your employees and co-workers how you can support them and their families Thanks to all who participated and who will hopefully help make this a foundation building block of our future. --Russ
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