Early Care and Education

Overview

The early years in a child's life provide the foundation for later success. Ninety percent of a child’s brain develops before the age of 5. For too many children, the educational achievement gap begins before they even enter the kindergarten classroom.

Decades of research show that quality early learning opportunities improve the odds that children will succeed in school and life. Children attending these early education programs are less likely to repeat grades, drop out of school, or need special education.

Safe, nurturing, and educational experiences in the earliest years lay a solid foundation from which children are more likely to grow up to be productive and law-abiding citizens with greater educational achievement, higher incomes, and less reliance on government programs. Quality early childhood programs are an economic investment with high public returns, producing on average $7 in savings for every $1 invested.

Partnership for Children believes that all families should have access to enriching, affordable early care and education opportunities that enable children to start school prepared for success and help parents advance and be productive in the workforce. Our advocacy work focuses on policies that achieve these goals in early care and education programs, especially for low-income families.

2011 Missouri Early Care & Education Policy Agenda

Background Checks
- Support legislation requiring national fingerprint background checks for all individuals who work, volunteer, or reside in a child care program or home.
Child Care Assistance
- Protect the state's elegibility level for child care assistance at 127% of the Federal Poverty Level.
Parents as Teachers
- Protect current funding for the Parents as Teachers program.
Pre-K
- Support access to quality, voluntary pre-k opportunities that prepare children for success in school and life.

Missouri Coalition for School Readiness

Partnership for Children is working in collaboration with advocates across Missouri to establish a coalition with the goal of elevating discussion of early care and education policy issues and making school readiness for our youngest children a top state priority. For more information about the Missouri Coalition for School Readiness and how you can get involved, contact Jeremy LaFaver at lafaver@pfc.org or 816-531-9200 ext. 225