Occupying the Classroom: Filling the Early Childhood Education Gap

Is early childhood education the real issue behind the Occupy protests?

By now, you’ve presumably heard of Occupy Wall Street, and other like-minded protests in cities throughout the country that are shedding light on the richest 1 percent of Americans who have a greater net worth than the bottom 90 percent. While most of the suggested solutions involve changes in taxation, what the issue really comes down to is early childhood education.

We recently discussed the importance of early childhood education, and how children from low-income families are starting kindergarten far behind the standard curve. Now, rather than occupying a street, New York Times columnist Nicholas D. Kristof suggests we occupy the classroom.

Even before kindergarten, there are significant gaps between richer and poorer students, which only increase with time. A good early childhood education can help bridge this gap, but unfortunately, many children from low income families are never given this opportunity. In addition to limited access to good early childhood education, low income parents are often less involved, especially those who work multiple jobs, which sets the child back even farther.

In economist James Heckman’s article, The Economics of Inequality: The Value of Early Childhood Education, he explains how inequality starts at or before birth, stating that, “Schooling after the second grade plays only a minor role in creating or reducing gaps” and that the “logic is quite clear from an economic standpoint. We can invest early to close disparities and prevent achievement gaps, or we can pay to remediate disparities when they are harder and more expensive.”

While there are programs such as Head Start, whose alumni are more likely to graduate from high school and attend college, there needs to be much more done to help build a more fair nation—we can’t afford to wait any longer.

What do you think would help fill the early childhood education gap? Share your thoughts by commenting below, or on our Facebook or twitter pages.

Early Childhood Education: Ensuring Academic Success

Early childhood education is becoming a national crisis, particularly in low-income communities. Learn how to help.

With the next presidential election only a little over a year away, issues are surfacing with not only the economic crisis, but also with the early childhood education crisis.

The Problem
Millions of children from low-income families are starting kindergarten far behind the standard curve. During the ages of 3-5, the brain develops very rapidly, so it’s crucial that even if the child is not in preschool or daycare, parents are involved, ensuring their child’s future academic success. However, in many low-income families, both parents may not be present, or they may both have to work and are unable to afford early childhood education services. Because of this, and other factors such as access to books, children in low-income neighborhoods start kindergarten 60 percent behind wealthier peers.

Prevention
The education gap is preventable, but it will take a lot of time and effort from the government, schools and the community. Jumpstart is a non-profit organization that engages community members to help children in low-income neighborhoods develop literary skills for kindergarten and their education.

How You Can Help
On Thursday, October 6, millions will read with a child to represent year-long educational support for pre-school age children of low-income communities. This year’s Read for the Record book is Llama Llama Red Pajama by Anna Dewdney. If you want to help jump-start a child’s education, learn more.