An Early Learning Campaign Now for Later

Early Learning is a Business Concern We must EDUCATE, GRADUATE, TRAIN every potential child born in Missouri to ensure the workforce needed in Missouri to attract companies. When companies look to locate to Missouri they look for infrastructure: – ENERGY – TRANSPORTATION – A WELL EDUCATED AND AMPLE LABOR POOL – QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THEIR EMPLOYEES

Supporting Today’s Workforce High-quality early childhood programs allow parents to go to work confident their children are in safe, nurturing environments. Good early childhood programs: – reduce employee absenteeism – increase productivity – encourage recruitment, retention

The Importance of Workforce Development In a few short years, China will have the most people fluent in the English language. 25% of India’s population with the highest IQ is greater than the total population of the U.S. India graduates more honor students than the U.S. has children. The U.S. is losing up to 30% of its potential workers because they don’t graduate from high school.

BUSINESS PEOPLE THINK... A survey of business persons found that: o 92.5% think early learning begins from birth to age 3. o 100% consider the parent’s role to be extremely important. o 97.3% consider early childhood education to be important in the long-term success of a child. (Pulse Communication contacted 67 business people from around the state to gain an understanding of what they know and believe about early childhood education.)

How strongly do you believe the link between early learning and future workforce/business success is? 81% reported the linkage to be strong/very strong

Returns to a Unit Dollar Invested Heckman & LaFontaine (2007)

Early Investments Offer Greater Return Research shows early experiences shape brain development, lay the foundation for all future learning, behavior, success. Rate of return for an investment in high-quality early learning programs is substantially higher than that of job training programs later in life.

An Early Learning Campaign The preparation starts now

THE FACTS The most cost-effective route to strengthening the workforce is to invest in early education, according to Nobel prize-winning economist Dr. James Heckman. Investing $6,000 per child has a “lifetime societal benefit” of up to $69,000. A ROI greater than 10:1. Achievement gaps can be identified in children as young as nine months of age, but research indicates most, if not all, of the gap found at age five and age eight could be eliminated by an intensive two-year early childhood program for infants and toddlers.

Learn about the importance of early learning. Write an op-ed to your local newspaper. Contact your local and state leaders letting them know you support early learning. Organize an event to educate others about the importance of early learning. TAKE PART

Print advertisements/fliers can be included in: Newspapers Business Journals Banner Ads on the Web “Now for Later” Website Direct Mail Each has text about investing NOW for a productive workforce LATER. PRINT ADVERTISEMENTS/ FLIERS

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What can you do? Be an active voice in the community about the importance of early childhood education. Speak with legislators and other business leaders and convey the importance of increased funding for early childhood education.

THANK YOU... to DESE’s Early Learning partners. Alliance for Childhood Education Association for the Education of Young Children of Missouri Center for Family Policy & Research Child Care Aware® of Missouri First Chance for Children Head Start - State Collaboration Office LUME Institute Metropolitan Council on Early Learning Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry Missouri Coalition for School Readiness Missouri Coordinating Board for Early Childhood Missouri Department of Corrections Missouri Head Start Association Missouri School Boards’ Association MU ParentLink Parents as Teachers National Office Partnership for Children St. Louis Regional Early Childhood Council T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® Missouri Scholarship University City Children’s Center Vision for Children at Risk The MU students from Pulse Communications who created this campaign (Laura Schembre, Daniel Trivinos, Whitney Taryle, and Meredith Young).

Contact Us Website: nowforlater.org Phone: (573) The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, or disability in its programs and activities. Inquiries related to Department programs and to the location of services, activities, and facilities that are accessible by persons with disabilities may be directed to the Jefferson State Office Building, Office of the General Counsel, Coordinator – Civil Rights Compliance (Title VI/Title IX/504/ADA/Age Act), 6th Floor, 205 Jefferson Street, P.O. Box 480, Jefferson City, MO ; telephone number or TTY ; fax number ; © 2012 Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education