SMART BEGINNINGS

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Ready for School Ready for Life
SMART BEGINNINGS South Hampton Roads Fall 2007
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Ready for School Ready for Life
Lets talk about our children and

• Why we must invest in early childhood.
• The costs of not investing.
• The solutions to help our youngest citizens.

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Why we must invest in Early Childhood

• Because
• In South Hampton Roads, approximately 20
  of children arrive at kindergarten NOT
  ready. (Virginia Department of
  Education)
• Nationally, 49 of children who do not
  know their alphabet as they enter
  kindergarten are from middle and upper
  class families.
  (PreK Now)

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Why we must invest in Early Childhood

• Because
• approximately 90 of brain growth
  occurs by age 5. (Zero to Three)
• - A babys brain is 2.5 times more active
  than an adults brain.
• - More stimulation/interaction more brain
  growth
• - Less stimulation/interaction less brain
  growth
• - Significance Physiologically, there is no
  going back.

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Why we must invest in Early Childhood

• Because
• A child that enters kindergarten behind
  (unprepared) all too often stays behind, at a
  tremendous cost to society
• may be retained in kindergarten - AND -
• may remain behind throughout school and
  into adulthood.

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The Costs of Not Investing in Early Childhood

• Retention rate for kindergarteners in SHR
  in 2004-5 was 6.5, making up almost ¼ of
  all kindergarteners retained in VA.
• (Virginia Department of Education)
• Each retention costs taxpayers an additional
  7654 per child. In 2004-5 kindergarten
  retentions cost SHR taxpayers 6.5 million.
• (Virginia Department of Education)

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The Costs of Not Investing in Early Childhood

• - Higher retention rates
• - Increased special education needs
• - Higher teen pregnancy rates
• - Decreased graduation rates
• - Higher rates of incarceration
• - Lower employment rates
• - More use of public assistance

• Longitudinal Studies show children not receiving
  high quality early care and education remain
  behind, leading to

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The Solution High quality care and education for
all children in SHR

• High quality early care and education programs
  can yield as much as 16 annually for every
  1 invested. (Federal Reserve Bank of
  Minneapolis Study)
• And yet, for every dollar Virginia spends on a
  college student, only 5 is spent on children
  in the preschool years. (Voices for
  Virginias Children)

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Federal vs. State Investment
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Brain Growth vs. Investment
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Working for a Solution
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Solution Making a difference in South Hampton
Roads

• Five city-based initiatives launched (leadership
  councils formed, needs assessments completed,
  plans written, implementation begun)-- 250,000
  invested.
• Advocacy all locally-elected officials educated
  on the issue, asked to support increased public
  investment.
• Business Council formed and actively engaged in
  promoting issue in the business community.
• Public awareness campaign launched and funded for
  two years (1,000,000 per year) with goals to
  Educate all parents on the importance of the
  early years and Build public will for greater
  investment in early childhood.

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Solution Early Childhood
Development System
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Fewer Dropouts
Smarter, More Productive Virginians
Less Crime
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We want you to become a Champion for Children!
Together, We can make sure All kids
are Ready for SchoolReady for Life.
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We want you to become a Champion for Children!

• Visit smartbeginningsshr.org to get involved.
• Or contact
• Lisa Howard, Executive Director
• - [phone]
• - lhoward_at_smartbeginningsshr.org