Why is Pre-k Important? 

Experts now confirm what parents have known for a long time—children are born learning. The early years are a time of enormous growth -- physically, mentally and emotionally. Quality pre-k programs help children reach their full potential. Quality early learning programs lead to…

School Success

            Children who attend preschool are:

o        Less likely to need special education services

o        Less likely to repeat grades

o        Less likely to have behavioral problems once they enter school

o        More likely to read and write well

o        More likely to score higher on tests

o        More likely to graduate from high school

Life Success

§     Children who attend preschool are:

o        More likely to hold jobs. 

o        More likely to earn more money in their jobs

o        More likely to own their own homes

o        Less likely to be on welfare. 

o        Less likely to become involved in the courts and jails

Quality Pre-k Programs Are Also Good For …

Taxpayers and the Economy

§     Every dollar invested in quality early childhood programs saves taxpayers up to $13 in future costs.

§     Access to preschool helps working parents go to work.

§     Tax dollars invested in early childhood programs now saves money in future.

§     Children who attend high quality preschool are more productive in the workforce

Preschool is important for all children. While pre-k helps close the achievement gap for low-income kids, children from middle-income families also need to be ready for kindergarten. Forty-nine percent of new children who do not know the alphabet when entering kindergarten are middle class or higher, according to An Uneven Start, a 2002 report by Education Testing Service in Princeton. One-third of unprepared kindergarteners live in the suburbs, according to the U.S. Department of Education.

Many children --- no matter their family’s finances -- suffer from learning difficulties. When children attend quality pre-k programs, these problems can be spotted and corrected very early on, translating to improved chances for later school success.  And that’s good for everyone.