For years, early childhood education advocates have wanted to be heard in Juneau, especially as the city lags behind in pre-kindergarten preparedness.
On Tuesday night, they saw evidence that their cries were being heard. The Juneau School District Board of Education unanimously approved a resolution that stated that the board is in favor of increasing its investment in pre-kindergarten education.
The resolution doesn’t move any funds around or institute any programs, but the fact that an official body would go on the record in support of early childhood education is encouraging for supporters such as Joy Lyon, the Director of the Association for the Education of Young Children.
“This is the first time that I’ve thought that ‘Yes, we really could transform our community,’” Lyon said. “It’s within reach.”
Lyon, along with TLC Childcare owner Samantha Adams, expressed a great deal of excitement at Tuesday night’s Board of Education meeting. Lyon said that having an official body such as the board go on the record in favor of this movement will improve the visibility of it, and Adams said it was “awesome” to see the board officially take the side of early education.
A recent study from the Alaska Department of Education &Early Development revealed that just 38.5 percent of Juneau children are prepared upon entering kindergarten. Lyon, Board of Education members and others have warned that this lack of preparedness is a concern for the future of the city.
The movement for higher quality pre-K education has been picking up steam lately, with former City and Borough of Juneau City Manager Kevin Ritchie heading up a group called Best Starts, which promotes an investment in pre-kindergarten education. Ritchie makes his arguments mainly from an economic point of view, citing studies that show that cities with better early education tend to save money down the road on less special education and eventually less incarceration.
The board members were all heavily in favor of the resolution. Board member Andi Story pointed out that sometimes parents think it’s easy for children to come to kindergarten unprepared to catch up. It’s not easy at all, Story warned, and getting the word out will help parents and others be more aware of how vital early education can be.
“I think it would be wonderful if we could embrace this as a community too…and again how we can help parents know about the importance of pre-K,” Story said.
Adams has seen the difference that good early education can make. She’s been in Juneau since 2006 and has seen children in her program grow up. During the meeting, Adams said elementary school teachers approach her from time to time to say how the pre-kindergarten program at TLC sets students up as leaders in the classroom.
Afterward, Adams talked about one student in particular at Auke Bay Elementary who serves as an example of how the TLC program prepares children both academically and socially for the next level of school.
“She’s very focused on whatever the activity is from the teacher, she’ll complete the activity, and then she’ll be the one the teacher has teaching other students to do whatever the activity is,” Adams said.
The next step, Lyon said, is to get the CBJ Assembly to take notice. On May 5, Best Starts drafted a letter to the Assembly asking the city to consider taking part of the 1 percent increase in sales tax later this year and putting it toward increasing the number and quality of pre-kindergarten education programs.
Lyon warned that the city shouldn’t spend time waiting for state or federal governments to allocate funds. The state has also made cuts to education funding in recent years, and likely won’t spring for funding early education.
Board of Education member Steve Whitney concurred, saying the city should make a commitment sooner rather than later. Communities across the country are starting to invest in better childcare, Whitney said, and Juneau needs to join the fray.
“No matter what we do,” Whitney said, “I think this is coming down the line. … The sooner and stronger (the commitment), the better.”
• Contact reporter Alex McCarthy at alex.mccarthy@juneauempire.com or at 523-2271.
