How will Society as a Whole Benefit from Universal Preschool?

Patty Murray, other lawmakers want to offer universal preschool http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2022245351_universalprekxml.html

Do we need universal preschool, not just in Washington State but in every state? YES!
Why you ask?

The following article on the Huffington Post by Mark Shriver provides some compelling facts to back up the move for universal early education for low and medium income families in Washington.

America Can't Afford to Waitlist Its Children's Future http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mark-kennedy-shriver/america-cant-afford-to-wa_b_4265452.html?utm_hp_ref=education&ir=Education

Here are some key excerpts from Mr. Shriver's article to consider:

"...Fifty-three percent of 3- and 4-year-olds in this country are not enrolled in any kind of preschool, according to the Annie E. Casey Foundation's annual Kids Count report. That means that more than half of our kids walk into kindergarten unprepared and already behind.

Children without access to quality early education programs start kindergarten with an 18-month disadvantage, and that gap continues to widen. By the time they are in fourth grade, many cannot do math or read at grade level. And the simple reality is that they are unlikely to catch up."

"Investing in a comprehensive national early childhood program could add $2 trillion to the annual gross domestic product within a generation, according to the Brookings Institute, and result in a dramatic decrease to poverty rates." 

"Getting an early start on learning also helps these children improve their chances to graduate from high school, obtain a higher education, purchase a home and contribute to their community. This is an incredible return on investment that would, in the future, help solve many of the problems our nation is struggling with today." 

The bottom line is that it is our responsibility as parents and voters, and stewards of our planet to ensure children are given the tools to succeed in school. The benefit is not just to the individual or the family, but to society as a whole, as better educated children are more likely to go on to get a higher education, earn higher incomes, and become more productive, critically thinking members of society with a greater ability to take responsibility for their world - our world.

Related articles

• Mark Shriver: America Can't Afford to Waitlist Its Children's Future
• Save the Children Hosts U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan on Early Learning Tour and Town Hall in Rural Kentucky
• Congress Takes Bipartisan Action To Expand Preschool And Childcare
• Why Universal Preschool Is Especially Important For Children Of Color
• The Implications of Universal Preschool
• Seattle's universal preschool plan hits hurdle over union meeting