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Today's guest blog is written by Dr. Kandace Bethea, superintendent at the Marion County School District in South Carolina.
Children are learning from the moment they are born. Touch, talk, sights, and sounds are the building blocks of a child's brain. In fact, science shows us that by the time a child is 5 years old, 90 percent of his or her brain is developed. That means long before they step foot into kindergarten, parents, caregivers, family members, and quality early-learning teachers play a part in helping form a child's brain—the foundation for all future learning, social and emotional behavior, and overall health.
Because we know the future of a child's developing brain, and therefore their overall future success, is in our hands, we cannot wait until they reach school age before we focus on their learning. Early education is the best investment we can make in our children.
A recent meta-analysis found that participation in early-childhood education leads to increased graduation rates as well as reductions in special education placements and grade retention— both of which reduce long-term costs for schools while benefiting students.