STARS Montana Early Education Program

Montana governor Steve Bullock discuss the universal pre-kindergarten proposal.

With the increased recognition that an important part of brain development occurs within the first three years of a child’s life, and that reading to children enhances vocabulary and other important communication skills, the group, which represents 62,000 pediatricians across the country, is asking its members to become powerful advocates for reading aloud, every time a baby visits the doctor.

Even the most frugal legislators should be willing to set politics aside and do what’s right for our children, our schools and our state.

This is an issue that is subverting a lot of the traditional left and right, democrat and republican divides."

This isn’t just a social issue; this isn’t just an educational issue; this is fundamentally an economic issue.

Unfortunately, the Montana business community has been noticeably missing from the growing discussion on early education.

At-risk children who do not participate in high-quality early education are:

25% more likely to drop out of school –
40% more likely to become a teen parent –
50% more likely to be placed in special education –
60% more likely to never attend college –
70% more likely to be arrested for a violent crime.

Every dollar invested in an early childhood program will have a significant return for both children, who will be more likely to succeed and live healthy lives, and for Montana businesses, which will have healthier, more productive workers, the governor said.

Montana is one of 8 states that have yet to invest in pre-K, "It’s time that Montana joins the 42 other states that have made meaningful investments in the human capital of our earliest learners. During the next legislative session I’m going to bring forward a proposal that ensures that Montana finally gives our youngest learners an early edge so they have every opportunity to reach their full potential."

Governors are taking action to better prepare and support principals as instructional leaders. As part of those reforms, state leaders have an opportunity to build elementary school principals’ capacity to promote high-quality early education.