WHITMORE LAKE - In a move that would open the doors of opportunity to tens of thousands of children, Washtenaw County Democrats announced today a goal to give all Michigan 4-year-olds access to high-quality preschool.
"Preschool paves the way to a lifetime of learning and achievement," said State Representative Pam Byrnes (D-Lyndon Township), the lead sponsor of the proposal and a longtime champion of high-quality preschool education in Michigan. "At a time when our state is working toward building a stronger workforce, preschool is one of the most valuable steps Michigan can take. Universal access to preschool is vital if Michigan is to succeed in a globalized economy."
Byrnes pointed to a High/Scope Study of Perry Preschool, which tracked 123 children from low-income families in Ypsilanti and found that universal access to preschool gives all kids a fair shot at success in school and life.
The Democratic plan would be phased in over five years, leading to access to high-quality early education for all 140,000 4-year-olds in Michigan by 2010. The plan would begin in 2006, initially doubling the number of Michigan School Readiness Program preschoolers from 25,000 to 50,000.
The plan also would provide scholarships to boost the number of teachers trained in early childhood education and would require all licensed day-care facilities to be given a quality rating and for the rating to be publicly available to parents.
"Every $1 we invest in preschool saves taxpayers up to $17, and that's a winning investment for Michigan and for our children," Byrnes said.
State Representative Alma Wheeler Smith (D-Salem) said the
importance of improving early childhood education was highlighted at a 2004 summit held by the Michigan Legislative
Black Caucus, Michigan's Children and other child-advocate agencies. A call to action was issued for improved access to
high-quality preschool programs.
"Study after study shows that children who attend early childhood education
programs tend to do better throughout school, earn more money as adults, become better citizens and help forge stronger
communities," Smith said. "Michigan has a patchwork system of publicly supported early childhood programs, but too many
children do not have access."
"It's critical that Michigan address the disparities affecting Michigan's youngest residents and future workforce," she added. "The quality of life in Michigan and the strength of the state's economy are at stake." Byrnes and Wheeler Smith praised Governor Jennifer M. Granholm and the Michigan Legislative Black Caucus for their leadership in promoting early childhood education in Michigan.
Studies show that 90 percent of the human brain develops before the age of 5. Linguistic, conceptual, language and social skills are honed during this stage. Other studies, such as the massive Abecedarian and High/Scope Perry studies, show extensive benefits to preschool, including greater academic success throughout a child's school career. The High/Scope Perry study showed that children who graduated quality preschool earned $2,000 more a month than those who did not attend preschool, and were far less likely to commit crimes.
The Abecedarian study, done in North Carolina, showed that preschool also had societal implications: Mothers of children enrolled in preschool but who lived in poverty tended to further their education and get better, higher-paying jobs.
To read about the studies, go to www.fpg.unc.edu/~abc/ or www.highscope.org/ Research/PerryProject/perrymain.htm.