ALEXIONOK ELECTRIFIES EARLY LEARNING CAUCUS
Children's Campaign Executive Director Linda Alexionok captured the attention of the first ever legislative Early Learning Caucus with a "dollars and sense" presentation on the benefits of high quality pre-kindergarten. On November 3, Rep. Ari Porth (D-Coral Springs) hosted the new caucus, a bipartisan group of House and Senate legislators dedicated to drawing the connection between quality early learning and the long-term impact on improving educational outcomes.
Alexionok, a former bank president accustomed to demystifying intricate investment and financial data, made a compelling case based on research and best practices that investing in pre-k teachers with a bachelor's degree actually saves more than $1-billion over ten years. Alexionok, who made the presentation at the request of Rep. Janet Long (D-Seminole), explained that $60-million invested in degreed teacher salaries would be earned back with $109-million in annual dividends by cutting in half the remediation costs for third graders.
In an email to the Children's Campaign immediately after the event, long-time advocate Jack Levine complimented Alexionok, by saying, "I know how difficult it is to reach legislators who think they heard it all. After the other presenters sounded the alarm, you gave them a clear and clarion call for what to do."
Levine's observation was evident in Rep. Adam Fetterman's (D-St. Lucie) challenge to the group assembled. He asked directly if everyone was getting behind the degreed teacher legislation being brought forward by Rep. Janet Long, Rep. Will Weatherford, Sen. Nan Rich and Sen. Mike Fasano. "Who now could be against degreed teachers?" Fetterman asked with enthusiasm.
Media attended the first-ever caucus meeting and the story was carried on National Public Radio.
Educational outcomes contained in the latest national research boldly support the policy of requiring a bachelor's degree for pre-k teachers: students with degreed teachers made 99% gains in print skills, 74% gains in spelling and 36% gains in math. That compares, respectively, to 26%, 18%, and 15% gains by students taught with teachers holding fewer credentials. Learn more about benefits of degreed teachers.
To learn more about the caucus meeting and a list of legislators who attended, the Children's Services Councils provides additional coverage.
A town hall meeting on quality pre-kindergarten featuring the sponsors of the degreed teacher legislation will take place on December 15, in Seminole, Florida (Pinellas County). Register here.
National Security Starts with Early Education
The foundation to a successful life begins with quality early learning education.
A new initiative, sponsored by retired military leaders and called Mission: Readiness recently reported that about 75 percent of the country's 17- to 24-year-olds are ineligible for military service, largely because they are poorly educated, overweight, have physical ailments or have criminal records. To combat the problem, Mission: Readiness is calling for the country to make greater investments in early education. Educators say preschool programs are one of the best ways to ensure academic success later in life. Military officials think they're one of the best ways to ensure the country has a large pool of people who will be savvy enough to fly helicopters, drive tanks and gather intelligence.
To learn more about Mission Readiness, click here.
Successful Professionals or Lifelong Inmates?
Fight Crime: Invest in Kids reported that in the U.S. today, more than 2.3 million adults are in American jails or prisons. While dangerous prisoners should be behind bars, high incarcerations rates are costing taxpayers $50 billion per year.
The report finds that investments in quality early education can significantly reduce prison costs by decreasing the size of the prison population.
Children can be raised to be successful professionals or inmates: the difference lies in their early education. To read the report and learn how quality early education reduces prison costs, click here.
This Early Learning Front Burner is brought to you by:
Roy Miller, President
Aprille Case, Messaging Administrator
Sully Moreno, Communications Intern
Nick Pierce, Communications Intern