Tough economic times make for tough decisions. As budget cuts loom in our state and Congress debates a massive economic recovery package to jump-start our struggling economy, our elected officials will have to decide which investments present the greatest opportunity to stimulate economic growth now and for decades to come.
One key investment we cannot afford to skip is the education of our young children.
You might ask why a sheriff would focus on early childhood — my job is to keep the public safe and lock up dangerous criminals. However, law enforcement leaders like me know that early childhood education and care programs are among the most powerful weapons we have to fight crime in our communities. And the research proves that’s true.
In a landmark study of Michigan’s Perry Preschool Program, researchers followed a group of at-risk children over the course of 40 years — some of whom attended a high-quality preschool program and some of whom did not. The children who were enrolled in the preschool program were 44 percent more likely to graduate from high school. Those who were left out of the early learning program were five times more likely to become repeat offenders.
Not only will investments in early education and quality child care have a dramatic impact on reducing crime, they will also help to bolster our economy. In fact, investing in high-quality early education and care is one of the most effective strategies to boost our economy in both the short and long run.
Many families struggle terribly to afford quality child care or preschool tuition, at the expense of other critical needs. Providing more support for early care and education will deliver immediate, short-term relief to families who need it. It will also prevent workers from quitting their jobs because they are unable to find day care for their children. The wages of early care and education workers will go back to support the local economy, multiplying the short-term economic benefit of this investment.
Most important of all for Congress and our state policy-makers right now, early education and child care have clear long-term economic benefits that are unrivaled.
At-risk children who have attended a quality early childhood program are more likely to earn a college degree and earn more income. They are also less likely to abuse illegal drugs and become dependent on welfare. The Perry study found that the program cut crime, welfare and other costs so effectively that it saved taxpayers more than $16 for every $1 invested.
Despite the clear educational, economic and crime-reduction value of early childhood investments, these programs are badly underfunded. Only 20 percent of kids in Washington who qualify for state pre-K, the federal Head Start program or early childhood special education are currently enrolled. Now, these programs may face state budget cuts.
President-elect Obama has wisely promised $10 billion in new federal support for early childhood care and education. I urge our members of Congress to help fulfill this commitment.
As a first step toward reaching that goal and getting our economy back on track, Congress should include in the upcoming economic recovery legislation at least $6 billion in new funding for Head Start, Early Head Start and Child Care and Development Block Grants. The rest of the promised $10 billion should be provided through the fiscal year 2010 federal budget.
By including these essential investments in children as part of our recovery efforts, and by not cutting state funding for early care and education, we can help stem the tide of an economic recession, cut crime in our communities and offer our children the brighter future they deserve.
John Lovick is the Snohomish County sheriff and a former state legislator.
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