The Importance of Early Education
The Californer/10170957

SAN DIEGO - Californer -- Sustained early education and high-quality early childcare can help preschoolers throughout their adult lives, new studies show.

In addition to newly published Brookings Institute and Child Development reports, recent findings from a study authored by University of Virginia professor Bob Pianta and his colleagues show that (https://www.brookings.edu/blog/education-plus-d...) "High-quality early child care increases children's readiness for school and narrows the so-called achievement gap by half. This means access to early education is not enough. Warm, safe, supportive environments that are rich with language and conversations, and offer many opportunities to play and engage in hands-on exploration are key. Sustained access is also critical in predicting long-term outcomes. Higher salary and college graduation rates were only evident for children who had two or more years of high-quality care."

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The recently approved $1 trillion 'Build Back Better' plan enacted by President Biden and Democrats is firmly building on this path towards no-charge education beginning at age four.

That sentiment is echoed here.

"At our Montessori Preschool, highly trained teachers and time-tested methodology combine to help our youngest students learn academically, socially and emotionally," Kristin Edwards, M.Ed., Director of Lifetime Montessori School in San Diego, says.

"Our experience has shown that students absorb learning like sponges. When that learning is accelerated through formalized sensorial, language, peer- and adult-oriented touchpoints, that child begins an early growth pattern that can continue for a lifetime."

Historically, the gap between rich and poor has created distinct pathways between achievement levels of children who learn early relative to those who do not.  Thus, the opportunity to create 'universal pre-K' learning programs for students has been built into the State of California's 'First Five' programs. The newly approved "Build Back Better" plan will provide additional federal dollars to enact more quality early childcare programs for underserved communities throughout the state.

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"Lifetime Montessori Preschool provides loving care to everyone at our independent learning school in Santaluz," Edwards said. "The overriding strategy and importance of early education is the same. When we teach children as early as 18 months old, they learn academic, social and emotional skills faster than if we wait until they are five years old. Adding federal program monies may not benefit our private school, but it certainly will help more children going forward—especially children who are able to sustain formalized teaching," she said.

Lifetime Montessori School in Santaluz, an inland suburb San Diego's mid-County, is celebrating its 14th year of teaching toddlers, preschoolers, Kindergartners and elementary school students in Grades One through Six. Watch a virtual tour today: www.lifetimemontessorischool.com/free-tours.