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Public Officials

Why is early care and education important to South Hampton Roads public officials?

Early care and education is key to the South Hampton Roads business community. Employers need a well-educated future workforce. High quality early childhood education lays a strong foundation in critical thinking skills, communication and teamwork—all essential elements for employers looking to compete in a global economy.

In order for South Hampton Roads to become a more competitive region we should strengthen our early childhood education system. Quality early childhood education programs:

  • Allow parents to be productive members of the region's labor force
  • Helps employers attract and retain top employees and reduce absenteeism
  • Yield up to as much as 16% annual return for every $1 invested

Will your support make a difference? Absolutely. You play a key role in helping us achieve our mission of preparing children for school and life.

FACT:

  • Nearly 90% of the core structure of the brain develops in the first three years of life. This “wiring” impacts the capacity to learn and develop social, emotional and cognitive skills. - www.futureofchildren.org
  • Identifying and helping children who have special needs at least 2 years before they enter kindergarten can produce savings of $30,000 to $100,000 per child. - Handbook of Early Childhood Intervention, Second Edition, Cambridge, United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press
  • 49% of children who do not know the alphabet at the start of kindergarten come from middle and upper class families. - Pre-K NOW
  • Studies have found a 95% correlation between children’s language interaction with adults in the first two to three years of life and their reading level in 4th grade. - Pre-K NOW
  • Children acquire the foundation for desirable business skills such as communication, teamwork and critical thinking before age 5. - www.futureofchildren.org
  • Children who participate in developmentally appropriate early childhood learning programs are more likely to graduate from high school and get a job. - www.fpg.unc.edu
  • Every dollar invested in high quality early childhood programs may yield $7-$9 in future savings. - www.nieer.org

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Did You Know?

Did You KnowDid You Know
  • 90% of a child’s brain is developed by the age of 5.
  • 78% of parents of children under 6 in South Hampton Roads work outside the home, and must find care for thier children.
  • 1 in 8 children in our region arrives at kindergarten not ready.
  • Children who start school behind tend to stay behind.
  • Nationally, 49% of children arriving at school unprepared come from middle and upper income families.
  • 18% of kindergartners held back in Virginia live in South Hampton Roads.
  • Holding back a child in kindergarten adds almost $8,000 to the public cost of that child’s education.
  • 3rd grade reading level is a powerful predictor: for those who fail the 3rd grade reading test, half will also fail the 5th grade.
  • In fact, 62% of Virginia’s students cannot read proficiently by the end of 3rd grade.
  • A working, middle class family, with two young children, will spend on average 29% of their income on child care.


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