Investing in Early Childhood Education

The study of science, tech Investing in early childhood education is one of the brightest and most productive things we can do as a community, and as a nation. Research shows that early childhood experiences can determine a child’s success in school, and in later life.

Many families in our nation, however, cannot afford early childhood programs. Many experts argue that pre-kindergarten programs should not be the result of economic privilege, but should be part of a mandatory education program for all students. The National School Board Association and The Pre-K Coalition’s argue that early childhood education should begin long before the start of kindergarten.

While there is much work to do to offer early childhood programs to all children, there are some programs in North Texas that should be commended for the work that they do to expand educational opportunities to children. One such example is the St. Philip’s School and Community Center, which was founded in 1957 by a group of African American professionals in South Dallas.

Today, what began as a community center has become one of the leading private educational programs in the state of Texas for children between the ages of two and seven. According to school’s principal, Gwendolyn Barjon, approximately half of the 242 children who attend St.Phillip’s are prekindergarten students. “We give our students a firm foundation so that they can build self-confidence,” said Mrs. Barjon  began working with St. Phillip’s school 25 years ago as a volunteer, after enrolling two of her children in the school.

St. Phillip’s collaborates with a number of institutions in North Texas, including The University of Texas at Dallas, which currently designs the
school’s curriculum and provides training for its teachers. The school receives a small amount of federal assistance that helps to meet its $2 million annual budget. In addition to federal grant assistance, St. Phillip’s receives funding from Dallas based corporations, fundraising events and tuition payments.

We must work to expand access to these opportunities for all children in Dallas. High quality early learning programs result in less spending for remedial education, grade repetition and special education programs.

A study by the Brookings Institution, a Washington based think tank, revealed that only 48 percent of children from impoverished backgrounds were prepared for school by the time they reached kindergarten. That same study stated that 75 percent of children from financially
stable backgrounds were more prepared than those from impoverished backgrounds. These are disparities that should not exist.

No child should be a victim of academic inequality, and it is our duty to ensure that this cycle does not continue. President Obama has proposed a ten-year $75 billion education program that would expand preschool programs administered jointly by the federal government and participating states. These partnerships would make day-long kindergarten available for children, including those from middle class families.

Programs proposed by the Obama administration and those similar to the curriculum adopted by St. Phillip’s are