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Reshaping Education Starts at the Beginning

As business leaders, we know that growing a talented, well-educated workforce is critical to economic prosperity in the 21st century. We also understand the importance of return on investment when it comes to education and workplace performance. That is why we must include investments in early education when we talk about reshaping education in our nation, our state and our region.

The Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act (HR 3221) provides an unprecedented opportunity to invest in our economic future from the very beginning. This bill, which ultimately aims to make college accessible to more students, includes an Early Learning Challenge Fund to help increase the number of low-income children in high-quality early learning centers. While some might question why a bill focused on college access includes reforms in pre-school, starting early can make all the difference.

Educators have long argued that high-quality early education prepares students for a lifetime of learning and success. Recent research has supported this claim showing that early experiences do shape whether a child's brain develops a strong foundation for future learning, behavior and health. Without this foundation, educators contend that children will start out behind, and stay behind.

High-quality childhood education is also thought to help address the growing achievement gap. California standardized test scores released last week showed that little progress has been made in the performance between black and Latino students and their white and Asian counterparts. State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell has acknowledged that closing this achievement gap will require efforts targeted at prekindergarten through higher education, and we agree.

In this difficult economic climate, it is hard to justify any investment which does not reap immediate benefits. But in the case of early education, the numbers speak for themselves. The estimated rate of return for investments made in high-quality preschool, which range from $7 to $16 for every dollar invested, are far higher than the return for a job training program later in life.

As we prepare for an unprecedented shortage of highly-skilled workers by the year 2025, we must start making the long-term investments that will help address this looming crisis. The L.A. Area Chamber supports the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act (HR 3221) and urges Congress to make the early investments that are needed to create a strong and competitive economy in the future.

And that's The Business Perspective.