Let's make early learning a priority in all cities
April 5, 2016
I know there’s a whole lot of yuck happening in national politics right now, but we have good news! In spite of all the yuck, local leaders are doing GREAT things on early learning across the country.
Leaders like Seattle Mayor Ed Murray, who is piloting an evidence-based 4-year universal pre-k program that plans to serve 2,000 children in 100 classrooms by 2018. Best of all, the Seattle Preschool Program will be affordable to local families. And in Texas, Mayor Adler and the City of Austin increased the percentage of children who entered kindergarten “school ready” by 5%, from 49% in 2011 to 54% in 2014. Local leaders are...Getting. It. Done.
That's why we're urging all city leaders to make affordable, high-quality early learning a top priority in their communities, because a strong start for our littlest learners means building a strong future for our cities and our economy.
Here’s the scoop: We are partnering with the National League of Cities and School Readiness Consulting on our Strong Start for Strong Cities initiative to support access to high-quality early learning opportunities in cities across the country. Together, we are creating a resource guide for mayors, city councilmembers, and local leaders across the country with research from the top minds on early learning, proven best practices on advancing high-quality early learning at the city level, and stories from parents, providers, and concerned citizens in their cities. Once the Strong Start for Strong Cities book is done, we'll help deliver them to mayors and city leaders across the country.
Let’s face it, with moms now serving as three-quarters of the primary or co-breadwinners, parents need safe, enriching places for their kids so they can go to work; and kids need safe enriching places so they can thrive.
This is important. Studies show that children who have high-quality early learning experiences are more likely to succeed in school, graduate from high school, gain stable employment, and are less likely to be arrested. And strong social competence skills by the time a child reaches kindergarten increases their likelihood of graduating high school and having a full-time job at the age of 25. Early learning can also mean a BIG boost for our economy. For every $1 invested in high-quality early learning there is a later return of $8! In fact, ensuring that working parents have access to childcare could save employers approximately $4.4 billion each year.
Supporting early learning programs, like pre-k and childcare, is a win-win-win and local leaders can play a HUGE role in achieving that.
Local leaders, like mayors and city councilmembers, are on the frontlines, along with parents, care providers, and advocates who are connecting with their local early learning programs daily. This “unique, ground-level perspective” is essential to advancing access to high-quality early learning programs in cities across the country. Whether it’s helping streamline operations to promote smooth transitions along the education system or maximizing public early learning funds—mayors and city councilmembers can help improve access to programs like pre-k and childcare.
This is why your city leaders need to hear from you! Bringing together best practices and the voices of their community in one resource book will show mayors and other local leaders that supporting early childhood programs is a priority for families while providing the city leadership a clear pathway for action.
This is a new and innovative project at MomsRising and you (and your friends, family, and neighbors) can be a part of it by telling your city leadership what early learning programs mean to you and your family. Do you love your local pre-k program? Are you struggling to afford high-quality childcare? Confused on how to navigate your city’s early learning system? Share your experiences here or in the comments below and we’ll make sure your story makes into the Strong Start for Strong Cities book that will be delivered to local leaders.
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