The Kokomo Perspective – Jeff Hauswald
“Early childhood education is very, very important! In a state-by-state comparison of early childhood education programs and efforts, Indiana is in last place… but at least we are tied for last place! How important is early childhood education? One of the most effective means of helping children to read on-level by third grade has proven to be early childhood education, which directly impacts the high school drop-out rate. Quite simply, early childhood education is one of the leading means by which society can reduce the “school-to-prison” pipeline, which costs the average taxpayer $14,823 per year for each incarcerated person in Indiana state prisons (Vera Institute of Justice, 2010). These conservative estimates from 2010 are considered far lower than the true prison cost found throughout Indiana today. Aside from the long-term societal cost that are inversely related to investments in early childhood education, the benefits for each child for whom an early childhood education program is available are staggering. Students who attend an early childhood program are less likely to be held back through grade retention. Early childhood education, such as preschool, allows students to enter kindergarten ready to learn.”(more)