Public Policy
Early Years Are Learning Years
The demand for early childhood care and education programs continues
to increase not only in response to the growing demand for out-of-home
child care but also in recognition of the critical importance of
educational experiences during the early years. Several decades of
research clearly demonstrate that high-quality; developmentally
appropriate early childhood programs produce short- and long-term
positive effects on children's cognitive and social development.
NAEYC and Illinois AEYC members, most of whom work directly with
young children and families, see daily the toll of ill-conceived
policies on the lives of the children and families we serve. Existing
programs have too often taken fragmented, piecemeal approaches to the
complex issues facing children and families. Effective policies have
seldom been funded at sufficient levels to provide adequate support to
all families who might benefit.
NAEYC and Illinois AEYC believe that our nation is at a crossroads.
We must develop an integrated system of early childhood care and
education that includes comprehensive approaches that directly involve
families and communities in program design, implementation, and
evaluation. We can invest now in our children and families and enjoy
long-term savings, with a more vibrant nation of healthy, achieving
children and more stable families. Or, we can fail to make the
investment and pay the price: increased delinquency, greater
educational failures, lowered productivity, less economic
competitiveness, and fewer adults prepared to be effective, loving
parents to the next generation of children. Federal, state and local
government, communities, parents, and the private sector must share in
the responsibility of ensuring the well-being of children and families.
Our nation can and must do better to create opportunities that help
all children and families succeed. The time for action is now.