investing in and improving early childhood education in and improving early childhood education. ......

Institute for a Competitive Workforce

Investing in and ImprovingEarly Childhood Education

Today’s Speakers:

Dr. Sara D. WatsonSenior OfficerPew Center on the StatesDirectorPartnership for America’s Economic Success

Allison de la TorreState Policy AssociatePre-K Now

Dr. Elanna YalowExecutive Vice PresidentKnowledge UniverseVice Chair of Knowledge Learning Corp.

Karen ElzeyVice PresidentInstitute for a Competitive Workforce

Evidence for Early Childhood Education

Nobel Prize Economist James Heckman

Heckman Equation

INVEST + DEVELOP + SUSTAIN = GAIN

Dr. Heckman’s research on the rates of return to humancapital investment at different ages clearly shows that theearlier the intervention occurs, the greater its payoff.


Longitudinal research has shown gains among early childhoodeducation participants.

Participants were less likely to:

be involved in criminal activity

rely on social services

have children out of wedlock

Participants were more likely to:

earn more

own a home

own a second car


National Institute for Early Education Research

CALIFORNIA: Found participation in pre—K significantlyimproved early literacy, language, and math skills.

NEW MEXICO: Participating children improved substantiallyin early literacy and math skills; generally increased theirvocabulary skills. This study also concluded that children inboth schools and private settings made measurable andimportant gains.

Download at:www.uschamber.com/icw

www.pewcenteronthestates.com

PrePre--Kindergarten Education:Kindergarten Education:Policy Momentum and Business LeadershipPolicy Momentum and Business Leadership

Sara Watson, Partnership for America’s Economic SuccessSara Watson, Partnership for America’s Economic Success

Allison de la Torre, PreAllison de la Torre, Pre--K NowK Now

www.preknow.orgwww.preknow.orgwww.PartnershipforSuccess.orgwww.PartnershipforSuccess.orgwww.PewCenterontheStates.orgwww.PewCenterontheStates.org


Pew Center on the StatesPew Center on the States

Identify andprofileemergingtrends

Assessinnovationand pinpointsolutions

Raiseawareness ofthe need forchange andevidence-basedsolutions

Design andrun strategicadvocacycampaigns toadvancetargetedreforms


It Matters Where You LiveIt Matters Where You Live


Progress on State PreProgress on State Pre--KindergartenKindergarten

Source: “Votes Count: Legislative Action on Pre-K Fiscal Year 2010,” Pre-K Now, 2009.


PrePre--K Policies Across the USAK Policies Across the USAPre-K for All:

• In place: FL, GA, OK

• As a goal: NY, WV, IL, IA, LA, DC

• In the school funding formula: ME, OK, WI, DC, WV

Quality:

• State programs meeting 8-10 out of 10 quality standards:

2002: 5 2009: 18

Recent Policy Successes

• Major funding gains in AL, CO, IA, NJ, and WV despite economy

• AK & RI establish pilot pre-k programs; legislative wins in CA, RI, WA

Next Federal Opportunities: Elementary and Secondary Education Act(ESEA) and Early Learning Challenge Fund


Companies benefit from better earlyCompanies benefit from better earlychildhood policies in many ways:childhood policies in many ways:

• Securing a well-prepared future workforce

• Reducing expenditures on remedial training

• Building a customer base with the means to buy their products andservices

• Helping current employees be more productive

• Reduced public expenditures on bad outcomes and expensive services

“Quality pre-k is an important early childhood education and developmentissue, but it is also a critical workforce issue. That is why our Chambersupports these investments. We know that the return on today’sinvestments in pre-k will be a stronger workforce in the future.”

Dave Adkisson, President & CEO, Kentucky Chamber of Commerce


Economists, Business Organizations, BusinessRoundtables & Chambers of Commerce Take Action

National Association of Manufacturers: 2008 Public Policy Position:“Access to high quality early education and learning opportunities isintegral to helping today’s children prepare for the highly competitive,fast-paced global economy.”

The Center for Energy Workforce Development

Chambers of Commerce: Alabama - Tennessee – Kentucky - Maine - LosAngeles - Kansas City – Memphis - San Francisco - Houston - Nashville -Oakland - Brownsville, TX - Richmond, VA - Fairfax, VA - Calhoun County,AL and more. U.S Chamber – white paper and policy brief

Business Roundtables: National – Hawaii – Iowa – Massachusetts – Ohio- Vermont

Federal Reserve Banks: Chairman Bernanke, as well as leaders inMinneapolis, Richmond, Atlanta, Cleveland, San Francisco, St. Louis


Chamber ChampionsChamber Champions

• Los Angeles Chamber

• Supported 2004 state ballot initiative for pre-k for 4 year olds

• Included Early Education in state and federal 2010 Policy Agenda

• Advocated for increasing state and federal funding for early learning

• Included business advocates for early learning in annual lobbying events

• Wrote letter to Congress in support of pre-k expansion in ESEA

• Collaborate with state business leaders to advance early education legislation

• Business Council of Alabama

• Made pre-k one of top legislative priorities

• Put early education on the agenda of the “Innovative Alabama GovernmentsSummit” and on their 2010 legislative summit

• Members joined task force for new governor to support early education


What Can You Do?

Partnership for America’s Economic Success: Mobilizing businessleaders to improve tomorrow’s economy through smartinvestments in early childhood today.

1. Get more information and sign-up for our listserv atwww.PartnershipforSuccess.org

2. Make the scientific & economic case to others - media, businessevents. Distribute white paper and brief.

3. Tell policymakers to support effective early learning programs

4. Join with advocates to make your voice heard

We can help – data, materials, local contacts, sample op-eds, [email protected]

© 2010 Knowledge Universe – CONFIDENTIAL – Not for Distribution

Dr. Elanna YalowSeptember 8, 2010

Presentation to the US Chamber of Commerce’s ICWWebinar on Early Childhood Education


Knowledge Universe

• World's largest private early childhood education(“ECE”) through 12th grade company

• Domestic headquarters in Portland, Oregon

• Global headquarters in Singapore

• More than 3,000 locations in the U.S., Singapore,United Kingdom, and Indonesia

• Approximately 40,000 teachers, serving 300,000children

• Leader in the following areas:– Early childhood education (both community-based

and employer-sponsored centers)– Before-and-after-school programs– Remedial and enrichment programs– Professional development and teacher training– Academic tutoring

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Our Family Continuum

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KU U.S. Early Care and Education Programs

• The largest private provider of earlychildhood education in the United States

• More than 500 nationally accredited earlychildhood centers, more than any otherprivate provider

• More than 1,700 centers in 39 states and DC,serving more than 150,000 children daily

• More than 30,000 educators

• Over 40 years of experience

• Comprehensive proprietary curriculum forchildren from 6 weeks – 12 years

• Leading provider for businesses, universities,hospitals, and government agencies throughChildren’s Creative Learning Centers (CCLC)

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Higher EducationTechnologyHealthcare

Entertainment GovernmentManufacturing

Selected CCLC Employer-Sponsored Clients

• CCLC provides on-site or near-site early childhood education for more than100companies including those listed below:

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Why Business Involvement in ECE is Important

• ECE serves multiple public policy goals

– It enables school readiness and helps close the achievement gap

– It reduces both short-term and long-term costs for remedialeducation, social services, and incarceration

– It facilitates a productive workforce and reduces worker stress

• 12.7 million children are in out-of-home care for on average 32hours/week

• More than 80% of ECE is currently offered by the private sectorwhere competition fosters innovation and allows for greaterentrepreneurship

• Quality ECE is expensive, particularly for infants and toddlers. In39 states and DC, ECE for an infant costs more than tuition andfees at a four-year public college

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The Importance of Starting Investments at Birth

• Children’s relationships with parents and other caregivers in thefirst months and years impact a child’s lifelong social-emotionaland cognitive development

• Vocabulary development depends on language experiencesduring infancy and the toddler years

• Basic language and communication skills are formed during achild’s first three years

• Language experience before age three is an excellentpredictor of reading ability in third grade

• By the time children are 3 years old, it is unlikely that interventioncan make up for differences in the child’s earlier experiences

• Programs that are integrated into center-based care run theleast risk of adversely impacting programs serving children underthree

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Policy Recommendations

• Given funding limitations, focus first on children at most risk

• Investments should begin at birth because early intervention has thegreatest impact on future outcomes and is more cost effective

• Reimbursement rates should cover the cost of quality ECE

• Policies should honor the primary role and responsibility of the family

– Increase parents’ flexibility in balancing work/life including family friendlywork policies and child care assistance

– Enhance parental choice through vouchers and tax credits– Empower parents with greater information on pre-natal care, child

development, parenting resources, and child care assistance

• Programs should ensure continuity from birth through age five andprovide families with full-day, year-round services

• State Quality Rating and Improvement Systems (QRIS) should includetechnical assistance and financial incentives

• Leverage existing investments rather than expend new funds oninfrastructure and duplicative programs

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Q&A

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Download at:www.uschamber.com/icw

Institute for a Competitive Workforce

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investing in and improving early childhood education in and improving early childhood education. ......

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