Support Early Childhood Development

Tell Congress to Support More Funding for Early Childhood Development Programs in the U.S. and Developing Countries Around the World.

Early childhood education is a proven investment in economic prosperity, social development and the survival and well-being of children and their families. Yet alarming numbers of children are at risk of failure in primary school – both in the United States and overseas. Here in the United States, 68 percent of all American fourth graders in public schools are not reading at proficient levels. And worldwide, at least 75 million children are not in primary school, either because they have dropped out or never got the opportunity to attend at all.

Talking Points

For the United States, Congress and the Obama administration should provide:

increased funding for Early Head Start in fiscal year 2010; Early Head Start is a federal community-based program for low-income families with infants, toddlers and pregnant women.
doubled funding for the Child Care Development Block Grant to improve early childhood development; The Child Care Development Block Grant is a program that helps low-income families, families receiving public assistance, and those families transitioning from public assistance to obtain child care.

For developing countries, Congress and the Obama administration should increase their support by:

providing $1 billion for basic education, including support for early childhood development.
investing $900 million in global child survival programs

Subject:

Dear [ Decision Maker ],

(Edit Letter Below)

I am contacting you to ask for your support for early childhood development programs, both nationally and in developing countries.  When children receive good quality care and learning opportunities in their earliest years they have a better chance to grow up healthy, to do well in school, and to reach their full potential in well-being and productivity.  Yet in the United States, nearly 2.5 million, or 68 percent, of all American fourth graders are not reading at proficient levels.  And worldwide 75 million children fail to complete primary school, either because they drop out in the early grades or because they never got the chance to attend school at all.  The cost to the world of this lost brain power is staggering.

Early childhood, the period from birth to age 5, is the most critical period of growth and learning in a person's life. What happens during these earliest years influences how the rest of childhood, adolescence and adult life unfold.  Research has shown that early childhood development is an especially powerful lever to move the world towards a better future.  By ensuring that young children have the care and encouragement they need to succeed in school, communities vastly improve their ability to fight poverty, prevent illiteracy, end hunger, reduce child mortality, improve maternal health, combat disease and ensure education for all.

Early childhood education is an investment in economic prosperity, social development and the survival and well-being of children and their families.  Congress should thus ensure early childhood development programs are amply funded both at home and abroad.  Congress should help the youngest children in need here in the United States by increasing funding for Early Head Start in fiscal year 2010 and doubling funding for the Child Care Development Block Grant.  Abroad, the United States should demonstrate leadership by providing $1 billion for basic education in developing countries, including support for early childhood development, and $900 million for child survival programs to provide critical health care to children under 5 so children can both survive and thrive.

Your support for increasing resources for early childhood development programs is critically needed.  I look forward to your response on this important issue.

Sincerely,
[Your name]
[Your address]

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