Today´s Toddlers Are Tomorrow´s Prosperity

Thanks to a new, bipartisan report from a legislative Commission, there is today a tangible interest among some state leaders in the notion of expanded public support for early childhood care and education (ECCE).  Robust, results-based ECCE is not only a moral imperative, but an economic one.

Economic Research

Even if Maine´s economy grows in the next few years, money will still be scarce.  The federal debt, at well over $9 trillion, represents $30,000 for every man, woman, and – yes -- child.  Thanks to seven years of runaway federal budget mismanagement, we can expect decades of difficulty at the state and local levels, as the IRS sends our money directly to overseas creditors rather than back to us here in Maine.  Yet the tougher times get, the more important our ECCE investments will become.

Recently, leading economists like Art Rolnick of the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis have conducted meta-analyses of the research on public ECCE programs such as home visitation, family literacy programs, quality childcare settings, and universally available preschool.  Synthesizing the data from studies conducted over the last five decades, they tell us the annual return on investment (ROI) from early child development programs, adjusted for inflation, is between 7 and 18 percent. 

Unlike Warren Buffet´s usual investments, this ROI is fairly predictable -- and its benefits are accrued by the taxpayer rather than by Buffet himself.  So why should Buffet, Gates, Kaiser, and others have donated hundreds of millions to fund public-private ECCE efforts in several states?  Apparently, they know a good deal when they see one.

Over the life of a disadvantaged young child, the public saves $3 to $17 for every dollar invested.  Moreover, this research generally looks only at avoided costs (special ed., mental health costs, welfare, and so on).  Additional benefits include increased productivity in the workforce, longer lifespans, higher educational attainment, and greater personal satisfaction.

Neurological Research

At the same time these economic studies have been synthesized, new brain research has been synthesized by scientists such as those at the National Scientific Council on the Developing Child.  This research has allowed us to map out the development of the brain´s emotional, motor and cognitive centers over the span of a lifetime.  What they have learned is profound:  literally 85% of brain development happens before the age of three.

Equally important, the brain´s circuits are wired from the bottom up.  If wired poorly, the crossed connections make learning far more difficult in later life.  And once the walls are closed in, rewiring is far more difficult and expensive.

Finally, the research indicates that brain development varies greatly depending on the child´s early environment.  Brain development is most rapidly attained through the ¨serve-and-volley¨ of interactions with adults.  For example, a child who is read to regularly enters school with three times the vocabulary of a child who is not.  In every area of brain development – cognitive, social, and even motor -- regular and positive human interaction is key.

Maine´s Path to Prosperity

Maine has much to be proud of in its past work in this area – but miles to go if we are serious about our future prosperity and that of our region.  This January and February, we will consider a bipartisan report from the Commission to Develop A Strategic Priorities Plan for Maine's Young Children.  The Commission was chaired by Rep. Sean Faircloth, D-Bangor, and Sen. Joe Brannigan, D-Cumberland.  Its distinguished membership included many leading Republicans, Attorney General Steven Rowe, and important members of the business community.

Their unanimous report calls for essential, foundational work and cautious, limited funding.  If its initial recommendation is funded, $700,000 will be spent in the near term.  This equates to about one hundredth of one percent of the state´s biennial budget.

The support of leading business and philanthropic groups will be important.  And at the Governor´s recent Economic Summit on Early Childhood, I was pleased to hear Dana Connors, President of the Maine State Chamber of Commerce offer what seemed to be the strongest possible endorsement.  ¨ From now on,¨ he vowed, ¨I will refer to early childhood development as the foundation of a strong economy.¨ 

Mr. Connors and the Chamber have plenty of clout.  The Chamber not only prevented the legislature´s tax reform plan from being enacted last spring, but have been promised a proxy veto by the Governor over any future tax reforms.  If the Commission´s report is approved, it will be because Mr. Connors has urged its approval.

With an ROI of $3-$17 for every dollar invested, our taxpayers are counting on us to do the right thing.  And so are our youngest children.

Rep. Seth Berry, D-Bowdoinham, is a teacher and a father of two boys, ages 4 and 6.  He currently serves on the Legislature´s Joint Standing Committee on Utilities and Energy.