20 years ago the economists Art Rolnick and Rob Grunewald at the Federal Reserve Bank did extensive studies on the fiscal value of investing in young children and families.
It turns out that investing in children and young families provides the highest return on investment a government can make.
It’s apparent how terrible many government investments are and it’s easy to see how providing skills and basic needs for children and young families are superior investments to giving the homeless bus tickets to other states so they become a burden elsewhere.
The common government/business model of luring a corporation to leave one state for another has always been a win/lose (no net gain) and disruptive government practice (it upends workers & their families and wrecks the losing state’s economy). In the end, revenge will be had and the pain will equal the gain. My state has practiced both of these bad ideas.
The following pieces outline the compelling information gathered by researchers at the Federal Reserve Bank that proves the value of investing in children.
From KARA’s perspective, not knowing these things keeps prisons full, schools failing and communities unsafe…. Pass it on
Measuring and addressing disparities in early executive function skills
Disparities in executive function skills by socioeconomic status are observed by the time children reach age two
Engaging parents with their children’s development
Making the science of brain development tangible and applicable to daily life can help parents support their children’s development
Getting specific about what works in early learning classrooms
Child-involved, teacher-assisted activities and a curriculum that structures time and engages children are key features of effective classroom instruction
Differentiating between price and cost in the poorly functioning child care market
High-quality child care often costs more than families can afford, but well-designed public funding and policies can bridge the gap and ensure adequate supply
With solid evidence on ROI, the big question is how to invest
Strong evidence on the ROI for early childhood development compels increased public investment, even as researchers continue to hone in on the key components