STARS Montana Early Education Program

"Provide more children access to high-quality preschool, giving them the chance to get a strong start to their education."

Whether the schools are emerging in reaction to concerns that early education has become increasingly academic or simply because parents think traipsing around in the woods sounds like more fun than sitting at a desk, they are increasingly popular.

"Only about one-third of all children attending school in the United States can read proficiently by fourth grade."

"Our findings suggest that self-esteem, feeling good or bad about yourself, is fundamental. It is a social mindset children bring to school with them, not something they develop in school.

"Those of us in public service, I don’t think we know of a better investment." Boise Mayor Dave Bieter

More than half of the signatories actually voted to fund the grant on a state and local level last spring in a wide-ranging spending bill.

Featured speakers will include Gov. Steve Bullock and Ellen Frede, deputy director of early childhood learning with The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

An early evaluation showed that, as you’d expect, youngsters who attended pre-K made substantial gains in math, language and reading. But, startlingly, the gains had evaporated by the end of kindergarten.

Its objective is to engage stakeholders – including current and potential early childhood program providers and advocates, teachers, school administrators, school board members, legislators and other interested parties – in a well-informed and focused dialogue aimed at supporting concrete policy options for the expansion and integration of early childhood programming into Montana’s education system.

"If anybody needs the proof, we have the evidence, and it is our responsibility to step up our game and find the investment. This is extraordinary."