For advocate Emily You, attending Vanderbilt University wouldn’t have been possible without her strong early childhood education. “There is a tendency for us to focus on getting kids into higher education,” says You. “But we must acknowledge that the path to college starts with early childhood education.”
Early learning plays a critical role in cognitive development. Kids who participate in high-quality early childhood education programs are more likely to graduate from college and be employed. Likewise, they are 20% more likely to graduate from high school. Now, as summer break comes to a close and students around the country gear up for back to school, let’s ensure every child has the opportunity to a high quality early education.