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Ellen Belcher is the Dayton Daily News opinion pages editor. She writes about state government, education, the environment, higher education and all things Dayton.
Martin Gottlieb is an editorial writer and columnist for the Dayton Daily News opinion pages. He focuses on the political process itself and does such national issues as war, the economy, taxes and Social Security, as well as a hodge-podge of local and state issues.
Scott Elliott is an editorial writer and columnist for the Dayton Daily News opinion pages. He writes about education, city and suburban issues, politics, business, workforce and consumer issues.Home > Blogs > A Matter of Opinion > Archives > 2010 > December > 11 > Entry
Editorial: Early schooling can’t be an afterthought
Money will be hard to come by in the two-year state budget the new governor and legislature are getting ready to decide in 2011. But Ohio must find a way to prioritize early childhood education.
More research comes out all the time showing the incredible importance of early learning to the long-term success of children. Other states understand this and have found ways to include preschool and even infant learning in their education systems.
Meanwhile, Ohio is moving in the wrong direction. In the last state budget, early learning programs took a devastating cut. The 22-percent reduction in funding was the worst cut to early childhood education of any state in the country. With a huge budget deficit looming, early learning advocates fear an even bigger step backward could come next year.
The legislature and Gov.-elect John Kasich have a tough job ahead. There are more priorities than there is money. But Ohio simply can’t slide further behind in efforts to make sure that young children get the foundation they need to do well in school and in life.
The Ohio Business Roundtable, an organization of business leaders, is behind efforts to support early learning initiatives. The group has set an ambitious goal for the state — raise the percentage of kids entering school ready for kindergarten (as measured by a state readiness test) to 90 percent by 2020 from 40 percent today. The roundtable argues that focusing attention — and money — on the youngest learners has the highest return on investment.
In a Dec. 6 briefing in Dayton sponsored by ReadySetSoar, a group that advocates for better early childhood education, proponents of early learning asked local legislators to support their cause. The question that was probably on a lot of minds was asked by Mike Henne, an incoming Republican state representative from Huber Heights. Given the fiscal environment, he asked, is there any way lawmakers can help that doesn’t require money?
Here’s one way that wouldn’t cost very much — raise the profile of early childhood education by following through on the state’s own plan for doing just that.
In 2009, Gov. Ted Strickland proposed, and the legislature enacted as part of House Bill 1, a center for early childhood development. The idea was to unify disparate programs for young children — now housed within a variety of state departments — under one roof with a director who reports to the governor and the state superintendent of instruction.
The center and the director have never gotten off the ground. Part of the problem is practical. It’s complicated to consolidate services. Some changes cost money.
But now there is even more uncertainty about whether the center will ever come to fruition. Early learning advocates worry that Gov.-elect Kasich and the new legislature will be less committed to their programs.
Getting the center off the ground would be a good show of support for early education by the new crew of state leaders. With a director and a unified program, early learning would at least have a presence and a voice in state policymaking.
Permalink | Comments (18) | Post your comment | Categories: Editorials
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By kurt
December 11, 2010 6:36 AM | Link to this
Yes indeed, in spite of hundreds of billions of federal and state dollars, lottery and so forthalready wasted, not to mention people being taxed out of their homes, to support these hidious governemnt schools, now the hard core left, want more even more money to start the brainwashing of our kids, into the anti God, anti American, anti white, anti free enterprise system, even earlier.
By Emily
December 11, 2010 7:46 AM | Link to this
I hope it goes without saying, but I’m going to say it anyway: Kurt has no idea what he is talking about.
By painfultruth
December 11, 2010 9:04 AM | Link to this
Emily, unfortunately Kurt is 100% correct. What is truly unfortunate is that you apparently can’t comprehend his statement. Get this - throwing MONEY at problems doesn’t solve them.
By Leave my babies alone!
December 11, 2010 10:37 AM | Link to this
“Other states understand this and have found ways to include preschool and even infant learning in their education systems.” Come on! INFANT LEARNING? Infants and young children need a loving home to provide the best foundation in life — not public education from birth. The greatest disservice that government programs have done this country is to undermine the family’s ability to provide this. The autonomy of the family needs to be restored! Reporting to a “state superintendent of instruction” sounds like something from the days of the Soviet Union!
By Stacy Law
December 11, 2010 2:09 PM | Link to this
It begs the question again, and again. How did we survive all these millennia without eclectic ideas such as this? You cannot point to one single inventor or innovator and say they are the product of engineered education. Read their biographies. They are most often the product of personal drive & ambition that was stimulated in their home. We need homes that are not taxed into oblivion so that a parent can stay home with the child and love, nurture and teach it.
By George Herbert
December 11, 2010 3:19 PM | Link to this
One father is more than a hundred schoolmasters.
By Bubba
December 12, 2010 12:22 PM | Link to this
I find it very interesting that comments are permitted on all the local editorials, with the exception of the sudden & hurtful collapse of the Urban League. At any rate, both editorials miss the point. Families & parents should be the early teachers of children; parents should be the ones in the home asking the tough questions. We’ve already tried handing off those responsibilities to others outside the home, at a huge cost with little to show for in results. It’s time to return those responsibilities to families. Power to the parents!
By H. Clinton
December 12, 2010 2:58 PM | Link to this
Folks, it takes a village to raise a child. The elders, or central planners, know better how your children should be taught. The only stumbling block to the village doing their job properly is they need more resources and greedy folk who want to hang on to their money, feel they can and should introduce God to their offspring, and who feel they are responsible for their child’s education ruin it for everyone else. We need to let the Village take over the parents role—-just as the DDN expressed in this piece.
By FAM
December 13, 2010 10:57 AM | Link to this
Leave my babies - don’t blame the Gov. for undermining the family. There are a number of contributers to the sad state of both the families and the eduction in the US. When half the marriages end in broken and/or re-consitiuted families, where both parents either choose to work, or truly have to work, and consumption is the obsession of the members of the families, education among other things are undermined. It is unfortunate that the Gov. has had to replace or suppliment functions that used to be provided within the family and within the neighborhood. Remember, the people get the Gov. they demand and deserve, but then cry about having to pay for what they demand. Ralph - Unfortunately, the comments of extremists like Kurt, ITs Great in Dayton, and those that hide behind names like R. Reagon, or some local personality, are frequently so offensive, and off topic that it sometimes drives DDN to over react. It would be better if DDN, just isolated the clearly abusive, and off topic comments.
By parent
December 13, 2010 1:14 PM | Link to this
To be successful in school and in life, children must grow-up in an environment that develops self-confidence, positive social/emotional skills, and a love for learning. Some of us are very lucky to have the benefit of one parent at home to support all these needs. But many (and an increasing number in these economically challenging times) don’t have that opportunity. Quality child care is critical to these families.
By Mom
December 13, 2010 1:17 PM | Link to this
As a single Mom of three, I need great child care and preschool so I can work and support my family. Preschool and child care provides learning and educational experiences that children need to learn and grow. I agree that as a state we cannot wait until later, and that Ohio needs to prioritize and invest in young children.
By Diana
December 13, 2010 2:32 PM | Link to this
Quality care and education for the very young children of our society is the issue. To say every family must provide it on their own assumes every family has the ability to do so. Windows of opportunity between the ages of birth through 5 years, once missed, cannot be retrieved. One only need look at children who were deprived of quality early care and education to see the damage that lack causes.
By Terri
December 15, 2010 4:33 AM | Link to this
“Leave my babies alone”If only the family did what it should, our young would be prepared for kindergarten when they were 5. Too many do Not have their kids count, learn letters, etc. let alone read to them before kindergarten. Childhood education shows that the best learning years are birth to 5. When these years are wasted, kids are behind their peers a year or 2 when they begin school. Yes, it can be made up, but probably the attitude in such a family doesn’t encourage education. In general, nearly 1/2 of primary/secondary education are areas that parents have NOT done their part, so the school must takeover, so I agree with “by parent” and Diana, et al who have responded to this topic. Those who schools are indoctrinating kids should visit their schools before making judgments such as these.
By Mary Jo
December 15, 2010 11:39 AM | Link to this
There are some seriously crazy folks in this area. Indoctrinating kids? Oh, sure, that is what teachers and school systems lay up nights trying to figure out how to do….but what are we supposed to be indoctrinating them to? The pledge of allegiance, how to tell their colors, how to get along with the other kids, the alphabet, numbers, gosh I just feel like I have messed up SO many heads…..
By Mort Dayton
December 18, 2010 11:46 AM | Link to this
Are people in Dayton aware of the fact that Charity Navigator (evaluates health and efficiency of non-profits) has give their lowest rating (one star) to The Dayton Phil, The Dayton Ballet, and The Dayton Art Institute?
By Mort Dayton
December 18, 2010 11:47 AM | Link to this
Are people in Dayton aware of the fact that Charity Navigator (evaluates health and efficiency of non-profits) has give their lowest rating (one star) to The Dayton Phil, The Dayton Ballet, and The Dayton Art Institute?
By Mort Dayton
December 18, 2010 11:47 AM | Link to this
Are people in Dayton aware of the fact that Charity Navigator (evaluates health and efficiency of non-profits) has give their lowest rating (one star) to The Dayton Phil, The Dayton Ballet, and The Dayton Art Institute?
By Mort Dayton
December 18, 2010 11:48 AM | Link to this
Are people in Dayton aware of the fact that Charity Navigator (evaluates health and efficiency of non-profits) has give their lowest rating (one star) to The Dayton Phil, The Dayton Ballet, and The Dayton Art Institute?