WHEREAS, The Carolina Abecedarian Project (1972), a scientific study which focused on the potential benefits of early childhood education revealed that: children who participated in early intervention programs had higher cognitive test scores from toddler years to age 21, academic achievement in both reading and math was higher from the primary grades through young adulthood, children completed more years of education and were more likely to attend a four-year college, and mothers whose children participated in the program achieved higher educational and employment status than mothers whose children were not in the program (The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill); and
WHEREAS, There are numerous studies in addition to The Abecedarian Project that have revealed similar results such as The High/Scope Perry Preschool Study Through Age 40 (2005) which found that those who participate in early childhood education programs are more likely to graduate from high school, own homes, and have longer marriages (Schweinhart, L., Montie, J., Xiang, Z., Barnett, W., Belfield, C., Nores, M.); and
WHEREAS, Investing in early childhood education is not only a worthy and just social investment, Researchers have conducted benefit-cost analyses, using accepted methodologies, for a subset of the programs . . . identified as having favorable effects. For those programs with benefits that could readily be expressed in dollar terms and those that served more-disadvantaged children and families, the estimates of benefits per child served, net of program costs, range from about $1,400 per child to nearly $240,000 per child. Viewed another way, the returns to society for each dollar invested extend from $1.80 to $17.07 (Proven Benefits of Early Childhood Interventions, RAND Corporation); and
WHEREAS, In the City of Philadelphia, there are over 7,000 Head Start eligible children whose needs are going unmet (Philadelphia for Early Childhood Education); and
WHEREAS, As writer and family counselor, Dr. Dorothy Law Nolte, reminded us, If children live with criticism, they learn to condemn. If children live with hostility, they learn to fight. If children live with fear, they learn to be apprehensive. If children live with pity, they learn to feel sorry for themselves. If children live with ridicule, they learn to feel shy. If children live with jealousy, they learn to feel envy. If children live with shame, they learn to feel guilty. If children live with encouragement, they learn confidence. If children live with tolerance, they learn patience. If children live with praise, they learn appreciation. If children live with acceptance, they learn to love. If children live with approval, they learn to like themselves. If children live with recognition, they learn it is good to have a goal. If children live with sharing, they learn generosity. If children live with honesty, they learn truthfulness. If children live with fairness, they learn justice. If children live with kindness and consideration, they learn respect. If children live with security, they learn to have faith in themselves and in those about them. If children live with friendliness, they learn the world is a nice place in which to live (Children Learn What They Live, 1954); now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the City of Philadelphia City Council Committee on Education shall hold hearings concerning the social and economic benefits of early childhood education in the City of Philadelphia.
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