Brain development is a genuine case of “don’t use it, you lose it.” Brain cells that aren’t assigned, literally die.
Early intervention, Head Start and kindergarten provide those necessary experiences. Working parents haven’t the time that is needed to be the main source of education and daycares aren’t generally prepared enough.
In the long run, funds cut now will require more funds later to provide additional tutoring, special education, learning disability aides, etc. to these children who start school without a good foundation. Grade levels and test scores will also be affected and subsequent funding reduced.
President-elect Obama made a strong statement about early education. He said that the changes he wanted to make in education are to put more emphasis on the early years starting, he said, from birth to three. He gets it that early learning is extremely important.
I would rather see a four-day week than the short-sighted approach of cutting funds in the most significant years of our children’s growth.
I have been in the field of education for 45 years, especially special education and early intervention, and I see first hand the significant difference between the children who have had the advantage of early learning and those who have not.
Thank you for considering my input.
BARBARA SHER, M.A., O.T.R.
Sadog Tasi, Saipan
