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Friday, May. 08, 2009

Early childhood programs a smart investment

By John Neill, Mid-Columbia Voices

Local school officials are working overtime to provide quality educational opportunities and facilities for our children. They deserve our support and appreciation.

Unfortunately, the global recession has trickled down, making their job more difficult. Long-standing, proven programs that prepare our children for success in school and life are at risk.

Recently, Kennewick School Superintendent Dave Bond sent a somber message to his employees. He told them, "We expect that the Kennewick School District will lose at least $4 million in revenue for our 2009-10 budget." Word out of Olympia is that it may be worse than that.

Mr. Bond's memo went on to list more than 20 programs under consideration for budget reduction or elimination. Among the possible cuts is support for the Mid-Columbia Reading Foundation, Team Read and Ready! for Kindergarten.

I don't envy the dedicated, unpaid volunteers who serve on our school boards as they struggle with difficult choices. Crises like these require courageous leaders willing and able to make wise choices.

The Children's Reading Foundation was founded in 1996 by 11 local school districts who understood that early literacy skills lead to success in school and life. The best classroom a child will ever have is the lap of a loving and caring adult.

From that basic premise arose the nationally acclaimed and replicated Ready! for Kindergarten program and the Team Read Tutoring program.

Team Read schedules and oversees volunteer tutors who use research-based materials to read 30 minutes, twice a week with students who need extra help to reach grade-level reading standards.

This year, more than 100 community volunteers will donate nearly 4,000 hours helping children. That's a value of more than $80,000 in time, not to mention untold value in future success and employment for those children.

Ready! for Kindergarten delivers information and teaching tools to parents of very young children. The lessons and tools help parents develop the cognitive and social/emotional skills children need to succeed in kindergarten, school, and life.

A recent study conducted by Dr. Paul Strand of Washington State University demonstrates that children whose parents attend Ready! training are more likely to score higher on entering kindergarten assessments than children whose parents did not attend Ready! sessions, regardless of income level.

All these programs are research based and make a difference. They may be outside what some view as traditional K-12 activities, but they clearly help our local schools achieve their core mission - preparing children for life.

Economists also see value in such programs. Quality early childhood education programs pay dividends to the communities that have them. Such programs can return a dividend of up to $16 for every dollar invested. Successful children are less likely to become a burden on taxpayers and more likely to find meaningful, family-wage employment as adults.

As local school officials struggle with the thankless task of balancing the budget, I encourage them to keep these facts in mind.

These relatively inexpensive programs pay huge dividends and must remain viable for the future of our children and our community.

* John Neill is president of the Mid-Columbia Reading Foundation board.

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