Zero. Out of more than 1,000 questions asked during 20 primary presidential debates there was not one on an issue that military leaders have called a matter of urgent national security, economists have called critical to America’s competitive future, law enforcement officials have called a key tool in reducing crime and educators have called vital to academic success. The issue – early childhood education.
We in North Carolina can do better. We have an opportunity to once again show the country why we are known as the national leader on early care and learning. I challenge our gubernatorial candidates to speak to early childhood education issues as part of their campaigns and specifically to devote a portion of at least one debate to the topic.
There is urgency to the issue. There are only 2,000 days between the time a baby is born and when that child shows up for the first day of kindergarten. It is not a lot of time when you consider that experiences during these 2,000 days have a lasting impact on later learning, health and success. That is because children’s earliest experiences literally determine how their brains are wired, lay the groundwork for future health and form the foundation of the social and emotional skills needed for academic and workplace success.
Fortunately, others are speaking out. Earlier this month, a high-level military official told a crowd of early childhood professionals in Greensboro that our nation was facing a crisis because 75 percent of 17- to 24-year olds cannot meet the eligibility criteria to serve in the military. Army Maj. Gen. Charles D. Luckey said that children’s issues needed to be understood as paramount to America’s existence.
At the same meeting, Bill Shore, also mentioned national security – national economic security. Shore, a retired GlaxoSmithKline executive and board chair of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Institute for a Competitive Workforce, cited a Chamber report that ties early childhood education to the success of the American workforce.
Local Chambers of Commerce are getting the message. In April, the Greater Smithfield-Selma Area Chamber of Commerce wrote to legislative leaders, “We urge you to recognize our concern that early childhood education is critical to the continuum that produces a strong and competitive workforce, support our current workforce and their families and will help our state maintain and excel in global competitiveness.”
Law enforcement officials also are speaking up. Last summer, Wilmington Chief of Police Ralph Evangelous called high-quality early education a critical strategy to help reduce crime, lower prison costs and save taxpayers money. A lot of money – North Carolina spent $1.36 billion in Fiscal Year 2009-10 on corrections.
Military, business and law enforcement leaders are joining educators who have long understood that early education lays the foundation for all future learning. Numerous research studies demonstrate the academic benefits of high-quality early education. One of the latest studies was completed by Duke University researchers. They found that found that children in counties with larger Smart Start and More at Four (now NC PreK) investments performed better on third grade end-of-grade standardized tests.
Now our candidates for office have a chance to speak up. What is each candidates’ plan to ensure that children: start school prepared for success; succeed in school and are prepared to lead; have the opportunity to reach their full potential? If we are to have a meaningful conversation about the future of North Carolina, we must discuss young children.
Olson Huff, M.D., is board chair of The North Carolina Partnership for Children, Inc.