Early childhood education serves a public good

Learning begins at birth and the early years present an incredible opportunity to build a strong foundation for lifelong learning and well-being. High-quality early care and education fosters children’s healthy development, supporting them to learn and grow, to pursue their dreams, and to thrive.  

When young children and families benefit, we all benefit. It is in our public interest for all children to be ready for kindergarten and go on to reach their full potential. High-quality early education programs are a proven investment that has widespread benefits. According to Professor James J. Heckman in Lifecycle Benefits of an Influential Early Childhood Program, for every $1 invested in early childhood programs, there is a return of over $6 to society in the form of improved education, health, and employment outcomes.

Despite all we know about the importance of the early years, public investments do not reflect the importance of this critical time. Instead of funding early care and education as the public good that it is, access is all too often based on a family’s ability to pay. Participation in high quality early care and education can also help break the cycle of intergenerational poverty. Current public investments are inadequate to ensure all children have access, furthering these historic racial and economic disparities.  

Increased public investments can expand the number of children who have access to early childhood programs. They can also expand the number of options families have for care across a mixed delivery system of public, non–profit, and community settings. Recognizing that we all benefit when children are prepared to succeed in school and in life, we can raise our collective voices in support of early childhood as among the wisest investments we can make.