HomeMy Public PortalAbout2021.10.25 IDAEYC Letter PAffKXdwwlhk Idaho Association for the
Education of Young Children
October 20, 2021
RECEiv�p
Mayor Robert Giles pCT 5 2U21
216 E. Park Street
McCall, ID 83638
Dear Mayor Giles,
Enclosed you will find information on the benefits of providing quality early education opportunities for
Idaho's children and families. As a public servant, we want to help you understand how essential quality
early learning opportunities are for the development of young children, its positive effect on school
readiness and literacy rates, parent engagement, and the long-term benefits to communities.
Idaho is one of four states in the U.S. that does not provide state funding for early learning but there is still
great work being done in Idaho to provide young children with the strong start they need to be successful
in school and life. Many communities are taking it upon themselves to provide these essential services to
support parents and their young children by forming Early Learning Collaboratives. These programs are
locally created, community led efforts that provide early learning opportunities for children though public-
private partnerships and utilizing existing resources and infrastructure. These programs are overseen by
local leaders made up of local elected officials, business leaders, early childhood professionals, and
parents.
There are 15 Early Learning Collaboratives in Idaho currently operating with another five being created.
Early Learning Collaboratives are supported in partnership with Idaho AEYC utilizing the local
collaborative model to build better systems of support, invest in high-quality program services and
promote the importance of investing in our state's youngest learners. In addition to supporting Early
Learning Collaboratives, Idaho AEYC offers other programs that support early education such as Ready!
for Kindergarten where parents are provided with the skills and resources to serve as their child's first
teacher to foster essential pre-literacy, pre-math, and social emotional skills.
Idaho AEYC is a resource for communities and policy makers in improving the early learning landscape in
Idaho. We encourage you to learn more about the importance of early education and how you can
support early learning opportunities in your community by contacting me directly or by visiting our website
at www.idahoaeyc.org.
Sincerely,
Beth Oppenheimer
Executive Director
Enc.
(208) 345-1090 • IDAHOAEYC.org
4355 W. Emerald Street • Suite 250 • Boise, ID 83706
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PARENTS ARE THEIR CHILD 'S "As a kindergarten teacher, I see firsthand the
FIRST AND BEST TEACHER vast difference between students who enter my
classroom having participated in quality early
Quality early learning does not only occur in the classroom. childhood education and those who have not.
Parents play a key role in cultivating early literacy and Quality early childhood education not only sets a
cognitive skills that will serve as the foundation for all future child up for success in kindergarten, but their
learning if they have the information and resources available. entire school career. Without it they do not have
Quality early learning choices for parents can ensure their the opportunity to begin on a level playing field
and, even with various school supports, are
kids get the right start. Research demonstrates that high- often at a long-term disadvantage to their
quality early learning programs increases a child's chances of peers."
being successful in school and beyond. Children who have
access to these early learning programs are: Aiyssa Townsend,Idaho Kindergarten Teacher
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held back a grade need graduate from earnings as an dependent on involved with law
special education high school adult welfare enforcement
Source:Wonderschool
BENEFITSECONOMIC
• Economic development starts with early childhood development—and the best investments ensure all children,
particularly those from low-income families,have access to high-quality early childhood education.
• Evidence shows that increased access to high-quality early learning and care programs results in short-and long-term
benefits to individuals . • society.
• Some programs have demonstrated that every dollar invested in high-quality early childhood education for
disadvantaged children from birth through age five generates significant returns to society based on improved social
and economic outcomes. Research shows that for every dollar invested in high-quality early childhood education,
society gains up to$7.30 in economic returns over the long-term."
ro learn more about early learning tools and resources for children and families in your community and how you can help,
)lease visit IdahoAEYC.org
P MW Idaho Association for the
Education of Young Children
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BENEFITS OF INVESTING IN QUALITY
EARLY LEARNING FOR IDAHO'S CHILDREN
Early childhood education IDAHO READING INDICATOR (IRI)
prepares children to learn, The Idaho Reading Indicator is the percentage of Idaho children entering
grow and succeed, but in kindergarten at grade level.
Idaho too many families do
not have access to quality
early learning resources to FALL 2018 FALL 2019 FALL 2020
ensure their kids get the •
right start. Well over half of •
children in Idaho enter
kindergarten below grade
level.
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Quality early learning programs can give Idaho's children the strong start
they need to be successful in school and life. Age appropriate, high-quality
early education options provide the foundation for school readiness,
including physical, cognitive, social, and emotional skills
'.daho Association for the
Education of Young Children