Invest in our Future
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
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Money invested in early childhood development significantly cuts costs for social services, remedial education, criminal justice, unemployment and more. And by investing in the early years, we develop a strong, competitive workforce of the future, further strengthening our economy.
• Every dollar invested in high quality early childhood programs
can yield $7-$9 in future savings.
• A quality preschool can offer a 12% annual return after inflation,
far superior to more traditional investments these days.
• Access to quality programs makes it possible for working families
to get and keep jobs, contributing to economic security.
• For every dollar spent directly on child care, nearly two additional
dollars are generated in sales in the overall economy.
IMPACT ACROSS SECTORS
The research is clear: investing in children’s school readiness reaps returns across many sectors.
Public Safety
Children who are left out of quality early childhood programs are fives times more likely to commit a crime by age 27 than children who attend pre-kindergarten.
Workforce
Just as the baby boomer generation starts to retire, the education level of individuals entering the workforce is projected to remain stagnant through 2020. High-quality early childhood programs can narrow the achievement gap and increase educational attainment.
Health Care
Families receiving home visiting services were less likely to have a low birth-weight infant, resulting in a cost savings of $2,287 per high-risk pregnancy.
Education
For each child who attends pre-kindergarten, school systems can save between $2,625 and $4,385 during the child’s K-12 education because of higher teacher satisfaction, less teacher turnover, reduced special education costs, and reduced spending on in-school safety and security.
Business
A survey of Richmond area businesses found that insufficient child care across the region has an estimated economic impact of $177 million per year.
