Studies have shown that the first five years are the time that will define a child’s ability to constantly learn throughout the rest of their life. When children learn a lot and frequently at an early age, it lays down patterns in their brain that will continue to be repeated throughout their life, allowing them to learn more and more. This is why that time of life is so important.

Professor Heckman recently published results that at-risk children who don’t get high quality early childhood experiences are 25% more likely to drop out of school, 40% more likely to become teen parents, and 60% less likely to attend college.

Not only is this time pivotal in a child’s life, but the average cost of education between ages 0-5 is actually nearly the same as the amount spent on a child’s college education. But at that age, parents have had a lot more time to save for the expense, whereas parents of preschool-aged children are often caught off guard by the expense.

San Diego, and California in general, has done a lot to make federal aid available to the lowest income-bracket, but there are significant financial challenges to those upper-low income and middle range families that are looking to give their children the best possible start in the pivotal moment of their lives, and to make sure that there isn’t an achievement gap when children start kindergarten.

Number of the week:

$359: What San Diego County is investing in each zero, one, or two year old child. In contrast, we’re investing over $9,400 in every school age child, 6-12.

What is Working:

Educational enrichment systems: A non-profit provider of preschool and other early childhood programs for 1,100 kids across San Diego County, serving as a network of preschools.