Early Learning Breakthroughs
August 16, 2005
Prepared remarks by Greg Shaw, director Education
Thank you for this opportunity. On behalf of Bill and Melinda Gates, let me begin by congratulating the National Conference of State Legislators on the important work it is doing here this week and in state capitols across the United States. And let me also congratulate Governor Gregoire on her leadership in appointing a new Early Learning Council, which Bob Watt of Boeing will co-chair along with Regina Jones from the Governor’s office. Thanks to the leadership of Bob and Safeco’s CEO, Mike McGavick, Washington business also is becoming a voice for early learning in this state. I look forward to serving on that Council, which originated with Rep. Ruth Kagi, a great advocate for at-risk children and families and a terrific partner with the philanthropic community in Washington state.
A quick caveat and then some brief comments. Although the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has funded several important early learning projects over the years in the Pacific Northwest, we are very much newcomers to this complex and important field, where parents, government, business, education and science converge. Only recently has our foundation decided to invest in an effort—within Washington state—to close the school readiness gap between rich and poor by supporting and educating parents, and by making quality early learning—starting at birth—affordable and accessible to all children.
It might interest you to know that we did not set out to create an early learning strategy. Our foundation’s early learning strategy began with a simple but very hard question, “what is the best investment we can make for at-risk children in Washington state?” We learned over the two years it took us to answer the question that there is a children’s constituency for every strategy, philosophy and age of child. And yet despite the best intentions of so many working on behalf of kids, Washington’s infant mortality rate continues to rise, the percentage of teens not attending school and not working has increased and the percent of children living in families where no parent has full-time, year-round employment has worsened.** In fact on half of the criteria tracked by Annie E. Casey’s latest KIDS COUNT data book, children are doing worse in this state. When we compare ourselves with other leading bellwether states, we don’t fare that well. Our youngest children are poorer and our teenagers are more disengaged. With the resources, energy, and entrepreneurial spirit of this state, we know we can do better for all of our kids.
Our own investigation into proven preventative approaches for at-risk youth took us earlier and earlier into the problem cycle. Ultimately we were persuaded by now 40 years of data tracking the outcomes of quality early learning experiences—the Perry Preschool and Abecedarian families. These studies plus those from Syracuse, Chicago, Brookline and others demonstrate that quality early learning starting at birth, and involving parents builds assets and reduces risks for children. Quality early learning can affect later education and income outcomes and reduce risk from negative behavior.
Earlier this year you may have heard Bill Gates tell the National Governor’s Association that “today, only one-third of our students graduate from high school ready for college, work, and citizenship.” Our foundation’s investments in American high schools are designed to change that appalling graduation rate. We are attempting this in partnership with many others. What you did not hear is that we also believe that school readiness is directly related to college readiness. More than 50 percent of the children who enter kindergarten in Washington state each year lack the skills educators believe they need to succeed in school. These children are behind before they start school, and many of them will never catch up. Only 25 percent—one in four children—from low-income households are now school-ready by kindergarten, compared with 58 percent of kids from high-income families. This is an income-related gap in school-readiness of 33 percent. When children start behind, they too often stay behind.
One of the principles of our foundation is to invest in resolving great inequities. The lack of quality early learning—learning that leads to the social, emotional and cognitive skills needed for school (this is not about just flash cards)—is one of those profound inequities because it has a lasting impact on a child’s life. The strategy we will pursue, in partnership with state and philanthropic partners, is to ensure that every child in our state has the foundation, beginning during their earliest years, to succeed in life. Our strategy is to reach children where they spend the majority of their day—either at home with their parents or in licensed child care facilities—using primarily existing infrastructure. We would like to see child care transformed from custodial care to high-quality, early learning environments that will prepare all children by age 5 to succeed in school and in life.
I don’t have to tell you that this won’t happen overnight. Our intent is to work with our partners in the years to come to ensure that all families in Washington state have access to affordable, high-quality early learning for children from birth to age 5. We will begin by working with two communities. We want to demonstrate, with partners, the effectiveness of quality early learning in two geographically, demographically, and politically diverse communities. We will also invest in organizations doing advocacy for early learning in the state.
And we will evaluate our effort by measuring results on two fronts: in our demonstration communities and statewide. Be assured that we will keep NCSL informed of our progress.
In conclusion, we enter this field of early learning with a critical eye, but also with great hope and optimism. We are hopeful and optimistic, in part, for a few important reasons:
- Bi-partisan Leadership
Quality early learning is truly bi-partisan policy and we are encouraged by the leadership we’re seeing from both parties. Governor Gregoire has show great leadership on early learning in this state. And in Connecticut, the Republican Governor, Jodi Rell, has shown similar leadership.
- Increased Public Support and Investment
When presented with such overwhelming scientific, economic and educational evidence, voters support state legislators who support policies and funding that are in line with the evidence. States like California, Oklahoma, Illinois, and North Carolina are showing that there is broad public support for quality early learning. The evidence behind substantially increased investments in early learning—beginning at birth—merits today’s close examination and it merits new state policies and investments to make the research a reality.
Thank you again for the opportunity to share our thoughts on this important issue.
* Greg Shaw is the former director of the foundation's Pacific Northwest program
** 2005 KIDS COUNT Data Book, State Profiles of Child Well-Being, The Annie E. Casey Foundation