Monday, August 25, 2014

We Have To Start Young

by: Nola Renz, Community Impact Manager - Early Grade Success

Research has shown that the early years in a child’s life, when the brain is forming, represent a critically important window of opportunity to develop a child’s full potential and shape key academic, social and cognitive skills that determine a child’s success in school and life.

Even at the start of Kindergarten, children from low-income families lag academically behind peers from higher-income families on key indicators because of a lack of access to early learning experiences.

We know that high-quality early learning opportunities are a sound investment that reduces the need for other services that may include remedial education and grade repetition. Improving access to these opportunities would “change the story” for our children.

Building a habit of regular attendance, starting with preschoolers, ensures children fully benefit from high quality learning experiences and gain skills that will serve them well in school. 

Summer is an important time for preparing children and their families to start school, ready to learn and ready to thrive.