Why Our Work Matters

In the first five years of life, a child’s brain develops at a faster pace than during any other time. It is during these early years that genes interact with experience, providing the building blocks for all future learning, behavior, and health. That growth depends on nurturing early care and experiences that provide a solid foundation for success in school and in life.

Closing The Achievement Gap

While research shows early learning is an important component of K-12 success, many children enter school without school readiness skills needed to thrive. For example, children from low-income families have generally been exposed to fewer than one-third of words by age four as compared to other children, resulting in a 30 million word gap. Some children may catch up in a year or two, but many continue to lag their peers in subsequent years. Closing the achievement gap once children begin school can be costly and difficult.

The good news is that the achievement gap is preventable! By increasing access to affordable, high-quality early learning experiences, we can improve school readiness. By improving school readiness, we can significantly impact everything from reading at grade level to graduating high school and being career ready later in life. When children have high-quality early learning experiences, it impacts the prosperity of the entire community.

Fast Facts: Why Early Learning Matters

	CHILDREN that attend high-quality preschool are more likely to succeed in school, graduate, and earn as much as 60% more over a lifetime.
	FAMILIES that have access to affordable early learning programs are able to earn while children learn.Parents have opportunities to go to school, advance careers and improve their family’s financial future.
	COMMUNITIES that invest in quality early learning gain economic prosperity as families and children prosper.Based on numerous studies, a return of $4 to $7 for every $1 is expected, and communities benefit from future citizens who vote, pay taxes, and raise families.

Watch video below to learn more about how early learning benefits all of us.

Our children are Monroe County’s greatest assets and future leaders. We hope you will join us in investing in them. Donate now to help give our children the tools they need to succeed in school and life.

Interested in learning more? The Indiana Early Learning Advisory Committee has valuable data on Indiana’s progress to make early childhood education accessible, affordable and high-quality for Indiana’s children and families.