GUILFORD — I am supporting Peter Shumlin for Governor for many reasons. One major reason is his unequivocal support of early childhood care and education.
I worked in public education my entire career. In my roles as a classroom teacher, special educator, director of the Title I program for Windham Southeast Supervisory Union, and a member of the Vermont State Board of Education, I have been completely convinced of the vital importance of children entering elementary school ready to learn.
Current research on the brain tells us that the way the brain develops in the first few years of life has a profound impact on a child's chances for success in school and life; 700 new neural connections develop every second for the first few years of life. The brain is at its most flexible and best able to organize new information during that time, too. How a child interacts with a parent or caregiver during those years has a huge impact on brain development.
At the same time, we know that 71 percent of Vermont children under 5 are in care of someone other than parents.
All this information points to the importance of equal access to affordable, quality early-childhood care and education for all Vermont's youngest children. In Vermont, towns like mine, which have no publicly funded preschool, have no access to public funding for a new preschool. That is fundamentally unfair.
We need to have a governor in office who will support equal access to publicly funded preschools. This will save us money in remediation costs for our kids when they are in school. This is an investment Vermont cannot afford not to make.
Peter Shumlin has recognized the importance of making early childhood education an equal partner in the education system. He has been a consistent supporter of early childhood education in the Senate and throughout his career. His leadership in the governor's office will be essential for Vermont.