There is plenty of scientific data that shows that brain development peaks from birth to age 5. All the behaviors and skills that will determine whether a child will be successful in school, and ultimately successful in the workplace and the community, are determined in those first few years.
When children enter kindergarten ready to learn, that policy results in improved high school graduation rates and higher earnings later in life. Early-childhood education also reduces the need for intervention programs and is essential for both our current and future workforce.
Where and how our children spend these first few years has an enormous affect on their future, and our future as nation. This is why early childhood care is so critical.
A recently released report, Early Care and Education - Investing in Babies, Toddlers, and Preschoolers highlights the long-term value of high-quality early care and education, the issues parents and providers face, and what still needs to be done to assure that all of Vermont's children are given the best start possible.
This report, produced by the Permanent Fund for the Well-Being of Vermont Children, the A.D. Henderson Foundation, and the Vermont Community Foundation, found that 71 percent of the 38,000 Vermonters under age 5 spend at least part of their time in the care of someone other than their parents.
Vermont families on average have a greater need for child care than families living in other states, and that need comes at a premium. For a medium-income Vermont family with two working parents and two preschool-age children, the cost of child care averages about 22 percent, or $16,120, of the household budget.
As many working parents know, it is a challenge to find affordable and quality care for their children. That's why nearly one-third of all the children in need of child care are receiving financial assistance. Yet only 45 percent of Vermont's 4-year-olds are enrolled in a publicly-funded preschool.
Quality early education and child care, the report found, comes down to three things - people who are nurturing and well-trained, a place that is safe and appropriate for children, and an approach to learning that offers a variety of learning opportunities. But while Vermont is ranked fourth in the nation for the quality of its child care standards, it's ranked 44th when it comes to oversight of those standards.
The people who work in child care and early education are among the lowest paid professionals in Vermont. The average annual income of child care worker is $19,700, and the average preschool teacher's salary is $28,640. The average turnover in these fields is about 40 percent per year.
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Early childhood education has become an issue in the campaign for governor, but leaving the politics of an election year aside, there are steps that can be taken now.
The report recommends greater philanthropic support for child-care centers, as well as strengthening the support network for parents and care providers. It also recommends increased access to training and continuing education for child-care providers and more public-private partnerships that encourage high-quality early child care.
The importance of good, affordable early child care is undeniable. Increased private and public investment in early care and education now will have a long-term impact on the social and economic well-being of our state.
Vermont can, and should, lead the way on this issue.