Funding, Funding.....
Numerous studies continue to show how important it is to invest in early childhood. Study and study has shown that the investment of resources in early childhood actually saves money on future support and intervention. Although behind the early childhood programs U.S. for many years, Great Britain has recent made grand steps to investing in children. Check out the article recently published in the New York Times: http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/0112preschool-ON.html
Bravo to Great Britain for making a financial investment in the future. It is a bit disheartening when at this moment our government is cutting funding to early childhood.
posted by John Funk @ Permalink2:25 PM
3 Comments:
What a great article! I think what was said about the US is very typical of what seems like today's political philosophy--if you don't see results or change now than it's not going to work. It bothers me that even though studies have shown it, Britian has shown it, our government officials still don't believe that investing in children's education from the beginning (and in what it takes to run those programs)not only increases their contribution to society later on in life but diminishes many of the "problems" in our society (like in the article they said things like teen pregnancy). It's a mystery to me that we have what seems like so many advocates of early childhood education but still no support from the government. And the "No Child Left Behind" law is not "support." Bravo to those 14 states who have increased funding for the early childhood programs. And shame on what President Nixon said because if that were really the case in here in the US than why haven't we seen a greater number of children prepared for kindergarten and greater succes in all areas of education. I think this article made me want to move to Britian.
I aggree with Mr. Funk and Erin's comments. Congratulations to Great Britan!! What an awesome accomplishment to have over 95% of 3 and 4 year olds enrolled in a Free universal preschool program. It is depressing to me that this issue is not as high a priority in the U.S. as it needs to be.
The money is out there. Why don't we see/our government leaders see that investing in the education of young children will an impact in the long run?
Post a Comment
<< Home