“
It is easier
to build strong
children than to
repair broken men.
—Frederick Douglass
The business case for
early childhood partnerships
BC Vision K Readiness Priority Strategies
Improve quality in existing & future early
childhood programs & services
Increase access to early learning & childcare
slots available that reflect the community’s
diverse needs
Increase coordination & alignment of policies,
services & supports to ensure children enter
kindergarten physically, socially, emotionally
& academically ready to succeed
Great Start Collaborative Shared Outcomes
Children are born healthy
Children are developmentally ready to succeed
in school at time of entry
Children are healthy, thriving & developmentally
on track from birth through 3rd grade
Children are prepared to succeed in 4th grade &
beyond by reading proficiently by end of 3rd grade
Families are empowered, engaged,
informed & financially secure
BC Pulse System Targets
Accessibility
Coordination
Guided by
Ensuring equity
Improving quality
Being responsive to families
Informed by
2013 Great Start Collaborative/BC Pulse Family Survey, 2014 Pulse Survey, 2014–15 BC Vision Process
• During early childhood, the architecture of the brain is built,
serving as the foundation for language, social behavior,
problem solving and emotional health.1
• Discrepancies in vocabulary development are identified
as early as age 16 months. By age three, low-income children
have a vocabulary averaging only about 500 words, while
high-income children average more than 1,100 words.2
CUMULATIVE VOCABULARY (WORDS)
The research
•D
isadvantaged children may start kindergarten as much
College educated
parents
1200
600
Working-class
parents
Low-income
parents
200
16 months
as 18 months behind their peers.3
24 months
36 months
CHILD’S AGE
Disparities in early vocabulary growth
Source: Hart & Risley (1995)
The talent crisis
• In the next 10 years there will be 123 million jobs for skilled
workers in this country, but only 50 million qualified
American workers.4
123 million
• Of young people ages 17–24, only 25% would qualify to serve
Jobs available
in the U.S. Military, while the remaining 75% could not meet
the physical, behavioral or educational standards for service
– standards similar to those used by employers.5
50 million Qualified workers
• There is only one state where the majority of fourth and eighth
graders are proficient in both math and reading – that state
The economics
• Every year the state of Michigan spends over $100 million
on children who flunk kindergarten.7
• Every $1 invested in early childhood education returns
up to $17 in savings.8
• F or every child in Michigan that enters kindergarten
prepared, the state will save approximately $39,000.9
RATE OF RETURN TO INVESTMENT IN HUMAN CAPITAL
is not Michigan.6
Programs targeted towards
the earliest years
Preschool programs
Schooling
Job training
0–3
years
4–5
years
School
Post-school
Rates of return to human capital investment at different ages
Source: Prof. James Heckman, 2000 Nobel Laureate in Economics
Early childhood partnerships
position our children for success
For children, especially those at risk of failure in school, attending
high-quality pre-k programs can provide rewards that last a lifetime.
Higher test scores
throughout grades k–12,
improved social and
emotional skills
Lower rates of grade
repetition and special
education placements
Significantly greater
rates of high school
graduation and college
attendance, and
ultimately, increased
employment rates
and higher earnings
in adulthood
Source: Bartik, T. 2011. Investing in Kids: Early Childhood Programs and Local Economic Development. Kalamazoo, W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research.
What employers can do
Become a Corporate Partner for Early Childhood and support early childhood programs and services in our community. Engage
and inform your employees about the importance of early childhood and connect them with information and resources.
The benefits of being a corporate partner
As a leader in the early childhood movement, our Corporate Partners can engage in the following ways:
Host community events at your location, for example: Lakeview Fords’ commitment to child safety as reflected in their Car
Seat Clinics.
Host lunch and learns for employees during their lunch hours (second and third shift as well). BC Pulse is happy to connect
you with partners who can support this activity.
Engage in the BC Vision Kindergarten Readiness Action Team. To receive invitations, email BC Pulse: [email protected] or
[email protected].
Your partnership in early childhood provides the entire community with both short- and long-term benefits.
1 Shonkoff, J. 2009. InBrief: The Science of Early Childhood Development. Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University. Retrieved from:
http://developingchild.harvard.edu/index.php/resources/multimedia/videos/inbrief_series/.
2 Hart, B., & Risley, R. T. 1995. Meaningful differences in the everyday experience of young American children. Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes.
3 W. Steven Barnett et al. 2001. Fragile lives, Shattered Dreams: A Report on Implementation of Preschool Education in New Jersey’s Abbott Districts. National Institute for Early Education Research, Rutgers,
The State University of New Jersey.
4 Gordon, E. 2009. “The Global Talent Crisis.” The Futurist, Vol. 43, No. 4, Sept–Oct. 2009, 34–39.
5 Mission: Readiness Military Leaders for Kids. 2009. Ready, Willing, and Unable to Serve. Retrieved from: http://cdn.missionreadiness.org/MR-Ready-Willing-Unable.pdf.
6 The National Assessment of Educational Progress. 2011. The Nation’s Report Card. Retrieved from: http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/pdf/main2011/2012457.pdf.
7 Children’s Leadership Council of Michigan. “Snyder is right to invest in expanded early childhood program.” Bridge Magazine, January 17, 2013.
8 Schweinhart, L. 2004. The High/Scope Perry Preschool Study Through Age 40: Summary, Conclusions and Frequently Asked Questions. The High/Scope Educational Research Foundation.
9 Wilder Research, 2012. Detroit’s one-child school readiness dividend. Max M. and Marjorie S. Fisher Foundation.