Contributed by Liza Watson.
The Trump administration has proposed a 12% reduction in education spending for 2020, marking the third straight year it has looked for deep cuts to education. Early childhood education programs are often on the chopping block, yet its been repeatedly shown that such programs pay a better dividend than investing in the stock market. In NJ, however, Governor Murphy expanded the state’s funding of early childhood education by another 28 programs. With a new school year is starting, here are some ideas for discussing the benefits of early childhood education:
Say this: Before kindergarten, a child’s brain architecture undergoes intense development, so early childhood programs help to lay critical foundations.
Not this: As long as kids are kept safe in daycare, learning and development take care of themselves.
Say this: Early childhood education is like a plugging station that parents can use to power up children’s learning opportunities.
Not this: Children learn by passively absorbing from their families.
Say this: Children benefit from remodeling our education system to build opportunities for the future.
Not this: The only answer is to hire more teachers and hold them accountable.