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How to get rich
slowly: Invest in
early education

Full of energy and curiosity, Isaiah Arion is your typical 3-year-old growing up in Hawaii. He's too young to realize how lucky he is on two counts. First, he attends preschool, unlike three-fourths of the children his age. And second, as a part-Hawaiian, he qualifies for a subsidy from Kamehameha Schools, which defrays all but $50 of the monthly $550 fee. Otherwise, he would be like the more than 13,000 3- and 4-year olds in the state who are not in preschool simply because the cost is beyond the reach of their families.

We need to place a higher priority on increasing access and improving the quality of our preschool programs because it makes good educational and economic sense.

Educationally, we know that the first five years of a child's life are the most critical to development. Children in quality early education programs typically perform better in school, display stronger reading skills and experience fewer disciplinary problems. An increasing number of states, six at last count, are establishing pre-kindergarten classes as part of their public education system.

According to Good Beginnings Alliance, only 12 out of 20 students are well prepared as they enter kindergarten. For at-risk children, preschool programs can be the difference between failing or passing, regular or special education, and dropping out or graduating from high school.

The research is compelling; children who attend preschool or other early education programs have better cognitive, verbal and social development and enter kindergarten better prepared. They are also less likely to exhibit later delinquency and antisocial behavior, tend to demonstrate higher levels of school achievement and better social adjustment, and are more likely to graduate from high school. A recent study on the Oklahoma universal pre-K program (available to all 4-year-olds) in 2003 showed that low-income students improved test scores 26 percent, with Hispanic students having the greatest improvement with a gain of 54 percent.

Economically, investing in human capital yields greater long-term benefits than any tax credit or subsidy that we typically hand out to developers and businesses. The Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis published a report in December 2004 that asserts there is an extraordinary public return on investing in early childhood development. One study cited showed that the total benefit cost-ratio was $17 for every dollar invested. In other words, funds that go into establishing these programs ultimately prove to be an investment as savings amass from a reduction in crime and welfare payments and an increase in economic productivity.

To ensure success and sustainability of any early childhood initiative, we need to address three challenges. First, we need to focus on at-risk children and direct parental involvement. Second, we need to ensure that the resources are committed for the long term. Third, we need to establish clear benchmarks and reward successful outcomes.

Establishing early childhood programs builds upon the framework established by Act 51, the Reinventing Education Act of 2004, since it makes little sense to ignore the fact that children need to come to elementary school prepared to learn and ready to succeed,

We are introducing legislation that will begin the process of increasing both the quantity and quality of early childhood education in our state. We look forward to working with all the stakeholders in this effort. After all, in the future, school readiness shouldn't be dependent upon whether children like Isaiah are lucky enough to go to preschool, but whether we are committed to helping all of our children develop their life and learning skills to become better citizens and contributing members of our society.

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