Forbes – Gov. Robert Bentley and Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin
“As governors with different political ideologies, we are committed to governing successfully by working with leaders from all parties and constituents of all backgrounds. We also know that when we develop policies based on solid evidence and the real needs of the citizens of our states, we can come to bipartisan agreement on important issues. One policy issue that should unite us all is quality early childhood education. We have a unique opportunity to have a profound impact on the lives of our youngest children. Republicans, Democrats and Independents agree that smart investments in high-quality early childhood education can lead to impressive academic, health and economic returns, particularly for children from low-income backgrounds. State leaders from across the country, including Alabama and West Virginia, have prioritized investments in initiatives supporting quality early childhood education. Now it’s time for other states to join that effort. Few issues are more important to our economic future than developing our next generation—our children. If we want our children to enter school eager to learn and prepared to succeed from kindergarten to secondary schools to colleges and careers, and to subsequently become thriving, independent adults, we must provide them with a firm foundation for success from the start. Studies demonstrate that quality early education can stimulate children’s language and cognitive growth while nurturing social and emotional development and building character. These early investments pay life-long dividends.”(more)