13 January 2006

Sebelius promotes early learning during Olathe visit
Governor details early childhood education initiative

Parents and educators agree the first few years of a child’s life are important, and that a good start can help a child be more successful in school and later in life.

Governor Kathleen Sebelius took this message to the Heartland Learning Center in Olathe on Friday as she detailed her plans for expanding early childhood education in Kansas.

“The first few years of a child’s development can set the tone for the rest of that child’s time in school and beyond,” said Sebelius. “Together with business leaders and early childhood providers, we’ve been working to give parents more tools to allow their children to get a good start.”

The need for more help for young children is made evident, the Governor said, by research showing less than half of students starting school are rated by their teachers as being prepared to enter kindergarten. The preliminary report by the Kansas Department of Education on school readiness put the number of children identified as ready for kindergarten at 47.4 percent.

“Early childhood education can close this gap, and I want to expand the opportunity for a good start to more kids,” said Sebelius.

The early childhood initiative would provide more 4-year olds with at least three hours a day of quality instruction from a qualified early childhood teacher. After a competitive selection process, between five and eight pilot projects would receive funding, covering 30-60 classrooms across Kansas.

Bill Nelson, Chairman, George K. Baum Asset Management and chair of MARC Early Learning Leadership Board, said a coalition of business leaders has been formed to promote early childhood education.

“There’s strong support in the business community for children’s initiatives like the one Governor Sebelius outlined today,” Nelson said. “If we’re going to have a well-educated workforce, we need to make sure our children receive the skills and education they need to be successful. That all begins in early childhood.”

The early childhood initiative is included in the budget proposed by the Governor on Tuesday. In addition to expanding early learning programs, she also is proposing eliminating the waiting list for Early HeadStart, another program helping children prepare to start school.

Additionally, parents will be able to look to a new quality rating system for early childhood programs to know which programs will be right for their children.

Finally, the initiative will increase the number of teachers who are trained in the special skills needed to teach young children