NEW HAVEN -- A report out Monday says that increased investment in preschool programs now could prevent huge financial losses for our country in the future.

Eyewitness News reporter Leon Collins is live with the mobile newsroom in New Haven at the headquarters of Connecticut Voices for Children, One of the authors of the report.

COLLINS: Members of the Connecticut Voices for Children say if we don't watch out for preschoolers now, we may pay dearly in the future.

This organization along with the Conimic Policy Institute in Washington D.C. say that if we improved the skills of a large fraction of our future work force through preschool programs, we would raise the gross domestic product, reduce poverty and strengthen U.S. global competitiveness.

Within 45 years, the increase in earnings due to preschool investment would likely boost the gross domestic product by 1/2 of one percent. That translates into $107 billion added to the nation's economy.