Argumentative Essay On Early Childhood Education

Issue In the United States, children in lower-income and working families do not have equal access as wealthier families to high quality early childhood learning programs. In 31 states across the nation, the cost of early childcare programs is higher than in-state college tuition and fees at a public college , making early childhood programs inaccessible to many families. The lack of access to affordable early childhood programs can have negative results for the children and subsequent negative effects in the surrounding community.

Recommendation The national government should invest in methods of increasing nationwide access to high-quality childcare, especially for low-income families. By providing low-income children with access to
These programs have been proven to have significant short-term impacts on the education of children, longer-term impacts on their life outcomes and positive spillover effects for their families and the economy. Children who are living in poverty can fall behind their wealthier peers in developmental, educational and social measures. Studies show that these programs help students in the short term by increasing their school readiness and performance in math and literacy, decrease their chances of enrollment in special education, and increase their retention during their school years. Additionally, studies show that these programs help students in the long term by increasing their health outcomes and chances of having higher skilled employment, while reducing their rates of drug use, and teenage pregnancy when compared to students who were not enrolled in high quality early education programs. Furthermore, these programs have positive impacts on the families involved. Families who have children enrolled in high quality programs are able to increase their self-sufficiency, improve their overall mental health due to services and supports provided , and the teenage mothers involved in the Abecedarian Project- an early childhood education study- were more likely to have finished high school, and undergone post secondary training than their peers without children enrolled in high quality