National Speaker:
Early Childhood Programs Key to Arizona’s Economy Now & In Future
PHOENIX – (January 25, 2011) Arizona business and political leaders committed to promoting economic development need to consider early childhood education as one of their key strategies, the vice president for a national, business-led public policy organization urged.
"The foundation for the skills needed for America’s 21st Century workforce is developed during the first five years of a child’s life,” said Mike Petro, Vice President and Director of Business and Government Relations for the Washington, D.C.-based Committee for Economic Development. “Yet the United States invests the fewest resources in children this age.”
Petro was in Arizona on Monday as the keynote speaker in the latest Issues in Public Policy session hosted by First Things First (FTF). The sessions coincide with FTF’s statewide Board meetings and are intended to highlight current early childhood public policy issues.
“The benefits of a high quality early childhood programs include a better prepared workforce, stronger growth and rising standards of living,” Petro said. They also pay dividends for the community, because students in quality early childhood programs tend to remain in school longer, achieve more and return more to their communities. Petro cited a City University of New York study, which estimated that a student who drops out of high school will earn approximately $275,000 over their lifetime and pay $88,000 in taxes. That same individual – if they earn a Bachelor’s degree – would earn $863,000 over a lifetime and pay $366,000 in taxes.
By contrast, children who are unprepared when they enter school – and therefore more likely to drop out – cost states thousands of dollars more in remedial or special education, social welfare and related costs, he said.
Petro said early childhood investments also have an immediate effect on parents in the workplace. “Studies show that access to quality early child care and education improves employee productivity, reduces absenteeism and increases company value,” Petro said.
FTF Board Chair Steven W. Lynn said the discussion regarding the economic benefits of early childhood is especially relevant in Arizona right now.
“Each state is feeling the impact of America’s financial crisis in many ways. And, while it appears that we may be on our way out of the recession, most states are still struggling to continue meeting the needs of their residents with fewer resources. Arizona is no different,” Lynn said. “There will be a great many discussions in the coming months on what our priorities should be, and it is important that we keep our youngest, most vulnerable citizens – the future of Arizona – at the forefront of those discussions.”
Lynn said FTF has focused all of its discussions, decisions and programs on the needs of kids 5 and younger since its inception. FTF’s 2010 successes include:
· 30,000 kids have access to higher quality child care, including 12,000 who are able to remain in care through a child care scholarship.
· Upon leaving the hospital, more than 64,000 parents have received information about supporting their newborn’s early learning.
· 9,300 families received in-home services to support their young children’s health and development.
· And, hundreds of teachers who work with young kids are attending college courses to expand their professional skills.
Lynn said FTF will build on those successes by continuing to engage diverse stakeholders in its work and in the broader discussion on the needs of young children.
During his presentation, Petro noted that the discussion about the value of early childhood investment needs to come from more than social service providers, educators and child advocates. The leaders in the discussion should be those that benefit most from early education – the business community.
“Business leaders have clout. They have constituents and constituents vote. And when you see business leaders, police chiefs and military leaders coming forward, these aren’t the usual suspects,” Petro said. “When all of these different stakeholders raise the issue of early childhood, (legislators) know this issue resonates within the community.”
Petro also urged legislators not to forsake early childhood education during tough economic times. “You can’t start from scratch again in five years if you cut these programs. When you cut back this funding, you not only affect the lives of children, but local economies as well.”
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First Things First was created in 2006, when Arizona voters – through the Proposition 203 ballot initiative – decided to set aside 80 cents from each pack of cigarettes sold in order to fund the expansion of education and health programs for children 5 years old and younger. Under the terms of the proposition, decisions about how to best use the funds are made on a per‐region basis by 31 councils made up of local leaders. The statewide board – which has final approval of the councils’ recommendations – is responsible for ensuring that the funds are used on programs proven to work at improving outcomes for children.
The Committee for Economic Development (CED) is a non-profit, non-partisan business led public policy organization. CED is dedicated to policy research on major economic and social issues and the implementation of its recommendations by the public and private sectors. Membership is made up of some 200 senior corporate executives and university leaders who lead CED’s research and outreach efforts.