The Renton Reporter – State Sen. Steve Litzow and State Rep. Ruth Kagi
“Research shows that children who participate in high- quality early learning have lower rates of: special education placement, grade repetition, obesity and teen pregnancy, abuse and neglect and juvenile detention. They also have higher test scores and higher rates of high school graduation. Scientists say 92 percent of a child’s brain is developed by age five, before he or she sets foot in a kindergarten classroom. Washington has an ethical imperative to prepare all students to compete in the 21st-century job market and fully participate in democracy. With the legislature under a constitutional obligation to fully fund K-12 education, we cannot ignore highly effective programs that move children toward higher student achievement. Because we take our duty to the entire educational continuum – early learning, K-12 and higher education — so seriously, we must invest in both high-quality early learning and our K-12 schools.”(more)