Report Shows Early Childhood Education Has Domino Effect

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by Dwayne T. Ervin

Arecently released report called School or the Streets, has confirmed what experts have recognized

for years.

By investing in early childhood education, a reduction in crime and an increase in graduation rates follow. Fight Crime: Invest in Kids Illinois, an anti-crime organization made up of over 220 police chief, sheriffs, states attorneys and other law enforcement leaders, called on state and national policymakers to increase access to quality early childhood education for all children.

According to the report, early childhood education results in higher graduation rates by 10 percentage points and would prevent 150 murders and more than 8,000 aggravated assaults in Illinois each year. In addition, Chicagos Child Parent Center, a high-quality early education program showed that children left out of the program were 70 percent more likely to be arrested for a violent crime by age 18, as opposed to children who participated in the program.

As we are painfully aware, the headlines are too full of stories of violence and tragedy. We know that intervening in the earliest years can make a big difference. Its irresponsible of us not to act on that to make sure all our kids have access to quality early childhood education, said Lisa Madigan, attorney general and member of Fight Crime: Invest in Kids Illinois.

In Chicago, only 51 percent of students graduate in four years, and in nearby Joliet, only 48 percent

graduate in four years. Illinois cities are not alone; nineteen of the top 25 largest cities in America graduate less than 60 percent of their students on time. According to the report, high school dropouts are three and a half times more likely than graduates to be arrested and eight times more likely to be incarcerated. Reportedly, nearly 70 percent of all inmates in our nations prisons failed to earn a high

school diploma.

The crucial fact is that early investment in quality early education has proven to cut the number of dropouts we are seeing in our schools, said Jeff Kirsch, vice president of Fight Crime: Invest in Kids. It is incumbent upon us to make this critical investment for the future safety of our children and security of our neighborhoods.

A quality preschool gives early learning skills where they learn how to get along with other kids. They learn how to hold a book, how to hold a pencil and other things we would take for granted, said Ben Peck Deputy Director of Fight Crime: Invest in Kids Illinois. Our youth are our most precious citizens and law enforcement, community leaders, educators ad parents must do everything possible to ensure

they have every opportunity for a promising education and future, said Chicago Police Superintendent Jody P. Weis.

Head Start also helps prepare children for kindergarten but the program is limited in terms of the children served. Members of Fight Crime: Invest in Kids Illinois, want to see all children, regardless of income, served by early childhood programs.

Eligibility for head start is 100% of the federal poverty level this would be $17,600 per year for a family of three. In communities where everyone earning below 100% of the federal poverty level is being served, and there is a documented need in the community, Head Start programs can serve families earning up to 130% of the federal poverty level or $22,880 for a family of three, said Peter Gray Communications and Marketing Project Manager for Illinois Action for Children.

Other initiatives include, Preschool for All, a program funded by Illinois that seeks to make voluntary, high quality preschool education available to all three- and four-year-olds in Illinois. The program began in 2005 and was reauthorized this year. Although Preschool for Alls first priority is to serve lowincome children, future goals include eventually being able to serve all preschool children in Illinois.

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