2018 Summer Kansas Child

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Early Childhood Learning Makes a Difference By Annie McKay, President & CEO, Kansas Action for Children For more than four decades, the leaders and staff members of Kansas Action for Children have made the case that early childhood learning makes a difference. Thankfully, Kansas leaders are paying attention, and our kids stand to benefit. In the 2018 legislative session, Kansas lawmakers had to tackle complex issues about child welfare, school readiness, K-12 achievement, and children’s mental health. Discussions about early childhood learning and development and family engagement have become an important part of that ongoing work. Why? We know our state’s early childhood system matters if we want Kansas kids to succeed in school and in life. Programs funded by the Children’s Initiatives Fund, for instance, catch developmental delays, provide high-quality child care, diagnose autism early, and provide access to speech and language services. “These are strong examples of a long list of crucial interventions that help close learning gaps and prepare Kansas kids for kindergarten,” said John Wilson, vice president of advocacy for KAC and a former state legislator. Positive outcomes Investments in high-quality early learning and development opportunities are among the best ways to ensure positive health, economic, and education outcomes for every child. Legislators should know that by investing in children with adverse childhood experiences, who live in poverty and struggle to overcome other barriers, we can close the school readiness gap, reduce the number of students defined as at-risk in K-12, and increase high school graduation rates. That’s the message that KAC and our partners have brought to the Statehouse — and around the state. And the stakes couldn’t be higher. Educational inequities start in infancy and can be seen as early as 9 months. Supporting children at this age requires an investment not only in the child, but also in their family, caregivers and learning environments. We continually must ask the questions about how best to meet 20 Kansas Child A Publication of Child Care Aware ® of Kansas
At-risk children who don’t receive high-quality early education are: 25 PERCENT more likely to drop out 40 PERCENT more likely to be a teen parent 50 PERCENT more likely to be placed in special education 60 PERCENT more likely to not attend college 70 PERCENT MORE likely to be arrested for a violent crime. the needs of our young children if we are to realize our goals of achieving the best possible outcomes for Kansas kids. While KAC’s mission has persisted over decades, and will surely evolve in the future, each person has only one childhood. We can’t forget that. The challenge ahead A great deal is at risk when we fail to address needs from the start. At-risk children who don’t receive high-quality early education are: •§ 25 percent more likely to drop out •§ 40 percent more likely to be a teen parent •§ 50 percent more likely to be placed in special education •§ 60 percent more likely to not attend college •§ 70 percent more likely to be arrested for a violent crime. “There’s no question about it,” Wilson said. “Early investments provide a great return on investment, for our children and our communities.” While gains have been made through increasing funding for programs targeting 3- and 4-year-old children and critical home visitation programs, there is more work to be done when lawmakers and a new administration return to the Statehouse next year. To build on the momentum to help young children and their families from 2017 and 2018, among other issues, elected Kansas leaders must address financial and geographic barriers to high-quality child care, reimbursement rates for our families to leverage child care scholarships, and the growing workforce challenges within the child care profession. While significant, these challenges aren’t insurmountable. “It’s going to take all of us — providers, lawmakers, business leaders, advocates, and community leaders — working together and speaking up on behalf of every Kansas child,” Wilson said. n www.ks.childcareaware.org Kansas Child 21
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2018 Summer Kansas Child

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