STARS Montana Early Education Program

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.

Early childhood programs are the most cost-effective way to ensure the healthy development of children in poverty and offer the greatest returns to society.

Improving early literacy is essential to increasing high school graduation rates allowing students to be successful in postsecondary education and ensuring the prosperity of all Americans, according to a report released by the National Governors Association (NGA)

Over the last decade, the NHES became an accepted reference on health education, providing a framework for the adoption of standards by most states.