Editorial by Mike White, Published by Springfield News Leader, September 18, 2015

Academic opportunity begins at birth, and early childhood education provides the single best investment we can make in preparing kids for success both in school and in life. Sadly, more than one out of every five kids in our area is not prepared for kindergarten. And, for families living in or near the poverty line, that number is even higher. Despite these gloomy statistics, the future has never looked brighter for Missouri families.

While voters are skeptical of tax hikes, there’s growing statewide support for new investment in the early years of learning — the years before kindergarten. Raise Your Hand for Kids (RYH4K), an early childhood advocacy organization, has proposed a reasonable, 50-cent increase to Missouri’s cigarette tax, currently the lowest in the country at 17 cents per pack. The revenue generated through this increase could yield as much as $225 million annually for early childhood education and health screenings. Greene County alone would qualify for about $10 million per year.

Investment in early childhood education will strengthen our local economy. Research shows that children who attend early childhood education programs are more likely to attend college and are generally more prepared to fill jobs in competitive, in-demand industries. Businesses need an educated and able workforce to thrive, and communities need commerce to flourish. Economic opportunity starts when we invest in the education of our youngest citizens.

With the Every Child Promise, our community promised to empower families so that every child, age birth to 6, has the opportunity to enter our schools ready to learn. There’s a difference between making a promise and keeping a promise! That’s why I like Raise Your Hands for Kids and ask our voters to support this investment in early childhood health and education for Missouri’s children.

Mike White is chair of Springfield’s “Every Child Promise” Initiative. You may contact him via email at: [email protected].

http://www.news-leader.com/story/news/local/every-child/2015/09/18/future-never-looked-brighter-missouri-families/72422154/