RSG | Early Childhood Alliance: Message Memo

The CT Early Childhood Alliance created this message memo as a basic document from which we ALL can speak about the importance of children's early years. It's based on the best messaging literature, research and polling data available and is a great tool for communicating about early childhood development. Please feel free to use this information in your own communications about the importance of early childhood development.

Connecticut has come so far

In 1997-98, the launch of Connecticut's "School Readiness" program positioned us as a "state that learns" and as a national leader in early care and education with impressive results:

• In Stamford, School Readiness raised reading achievement, lowered retention rates, and decreased the need for special services for participating children. [1]
• In Middletown, School Readiness narrowed the gap between African American children from low-income families and white children from families of all income levels. [2]
• In West Hartford, in mixed income classrooms, School Readiness quadrupled the rate at which low-income children acquired new vocabulary and helped to close the gap with their upper income peers. [3]
• In Bridgeport, School Readiness gains were sustained beyond kindergarten. [4]
• In Hartford, readiness for school was proven to increase through organized early childhood programs and parental involvement. [5]

The Connecticut School Readiness program was designed to provide high-quality preschool services to low-income 3 and 4 year olds. According to the National Education Goals Panel, the five elements of "readiness" for school are: physical well-being and motor development, social and emotional development, learning strategies including curiosity and task completion, language development and communication ability, and early thinking ability and knowledge.

We still have work to do

School Readiness has never been fully funded and today nearly 18,000 of Connecticut's three and four year olds will enter kindergarten without the benefits of a quality early learning experience.

Connecticut is also a "state that works." Today, 62% of Connecticut's children under the age of six have either both parents or their only parent working full time, and 92% have at least one working parent. Yet, many parents lose work time and productivity because they cannot find quality, affordable, accessible early care and education for their infants, toddlers and preschoolers.

We know what needs to be done

Even as Connecticut faces budget shortfalls, we must build better long-term economic times by guaranteeing that present educational gains are sustained and that there is a sensible plan to assure that all Connecticut children enter kindergarten healthy and ready for school success. Young children and families need access to:

• Information about early childhood growth, development, and parenting
• Quality healthcare
• High-quality early learning experiences
• Elementary schools that are ready for them

Young brains can be wired for success

The research on early brain development confirms that early learning experiences in the first years of life are critical in determining how richly "wired" a child's brain will be by kindergarten. Many children, especially from lower-wage families and economically challenged communities, do not have access to quality child care and other early learning experiences. They enter kindergarten "unready" for school.

Early learning closes the "achievement gap"

When 4th graders take the Connecticut Mastery Tests each fall, significant gaps in educational achievement are painfully evident. Former State Department of Education Commissioner, Ted Sergi, has called Connecticut's achievement gap "the issue of the decade." [6]

Beyond the 4th grade, many of the children who start behind, stay behind, testing poorly throughout the K-12 experience. Children who participate in high quality early learning experiences are less likely to repeat a grade, less likely to require special education services and are less likely to drop out of school.

Just ask any kindergarten teacher

Ask any kindergarten teacher - they see the differences within the first few weeks of school. Children who have quality early education gain social and learning skills that are essential for them to function well in kindergarten.

Closing the "achievement gap" is cost-effective

Connecticut and national research have proven that quality early learning programs work. A study by the Minneapolis Federal Reserve Bank estimates a 16% annual rate of return on dollars invested in quality early childhood development programs. [7] And, studies across the country show a benefit-to-cost ratio of up to $8 for every $1 invested. These savings accrue from reduced spending on special education services, reduced welfare assistance, higher taxes paid for higher earnings, and reduced crime costs. [8]

Public support for early education is broad and growing

Support for public investment in early childhood education is increasingly evident in the business sector. Employers know that quality early care and education options for children have increased employee productivity and morale. Quality early care and education also supports workforce recruitment and retention.

Connecticut's future workforce is at stake

Today, Connecticut has only one child for every three adults. That means there are not enough children in the pipeline to fill our current jobs. The Connecticut Economic Resource Center (CERC) and the Department of Labor forecast continuing population decline among 18-34 year olds and increasing requirements for well educated prospective employees. We need to invest now in all of Connecticut's young children so they can become competent and contributing parents, employees, employers and leaders in the future.