| U.S. Chamber of Commerce Underscores Importance of Early Childhood Education |
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09/09/2010 11:10 (521 Day 12:25 minutes ago) | |||||
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The FINANCIAL -- The Institute for a Competitive Workforce (ICW), the education and workforce nonprofit affiliate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, on September 8 released a report highlighting key actions the business community can take to support early learning programs as an important foundation for workforce development.
The report, entitled Ready, Set, Go: How Business Can Support Early Childhood Education, was funded by and released in conjunction with the Pew Charitable Trusts, PNC Bank, and Knowledge Universe Education.
“Research shows that investments in high-quality early learning programs for children from birth to age five yield high returns, including increased earnings and decreased use of social services,” said Karen Elzey, Vice President of ICW. “Achieving a world-class education system and creating a highly-skilled workforce begins with high-quality early learning opportunities.”
Ready, Set, Go: How Business Can Support Early Childhood Education catalogues research on early learning opportunities for children from birth to age five, the impact on a child’s development, and the role of early learning in building a strong academic foundation. The report shows how communities from several states, including California, Minnesota, North Carolina, Washington, and Virginia, have collaborated with state and local chambers of commerce and businesses to address early childhood education.
To follow the lead of these promising practices, ICW’s Early Childhood Education Initiative encourages business leaders to take the following steps:
Six Actions the Business Community Can Take Support a mixed provider delivery system
Encourage alignment between the early learning system and the K-12 system
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