Pre-K, Head Start deserve support
Each year, Community Action Southwest provides early childhood programming, including Early Head Start, Head Start, and Pre-K Counts, to over 900 children and their families in Greene and Washington counties. Approximately half of the children enrolled in Head Start and Pre-K Counts will be age-eligible for kindergarten, and will successfully transition to kindergarten. Many children will participate in our kindergarten readiness programs funded this summer through Pennsylvania’s Office of Child Development and Early Learning. This important work is done in collaboration and partnership with families, school districts, early care and education programs, and other community agencies. This has all been made possible through funding and support on the local, state, and federal levels.
We support the editorial published June 1, “Pay now for Pre-K and Head Start, save money later.” The amount of growth that we see in young children and families as they progress through our programs is amazing. Our main focus for young children in our programs is school readiness, while we work with parents to develop pathways to economic self-sufficiency. Children learn best when they have proper health and nutrition, a safe and stable family and home life, and activities that stimulate creativity, curiosity, and all the skills they will need to succeed in school and life. Research has taught us that the earliest years of childhood are critically important to children’s long term development. When children are thriving, their parents can provide for and support a more stable family.
Quality early learning and child development can open the doors of opportunity for every child to do well in school, in the workforce, and in life. Head Start, Pre-K Counts, and early learning programs are a worthwhile investment that pay off in the future. We applaud the Observer-Reporter‘s position on the critical importance of government-funded early childhood development for lower income children, and the return on investment realized by such programs.
Darlene J. Bigler and Brenda Fronzaglio
Washington
Bigler is the CEO of Community Action Southwest, and Fronzaglio directs early childhood services program for Community Action Southwest.