PRESS RELEASE: Indiana Early Learning Advisory Committee
Posted on: October 20, 2011 by T.J. Holsen
Lawmakers from Northwest Indiana joined their Republican and Democratic counterparts from around the state recently to form an Early Learning Advisory Committee which will provide input to the state’s Education Roundtable, which in turn reports directly to the Governor.
State Senator Earline Rogers, State Senator Frank Mrvan, and State Representative Shelli VanDenburgh, all from Northwest Indiana, serve on the General Assembly’s Interim Study Committee on Education Issues. This committee met on September 29th to discuss the impact of early childhood education on high school graduation rates in the state. The committee heard the testimony of spokespersons from Purdue University, United Way of Central Indiana, PNC Bank, and the Indiana Association for the Education of Young Children (IAEYC), each of whom underscored the importance of early childhood education—that which occurs from birth through age eight (8)—as a crucial component in ensuring educational success.
The speakers cited extensive research that identifies the correlation between early learning and academic success through high school and beyond, and they highlighted early learning programs in the state—including Parents as Teachers—which are working to provide parent support and early childhood development services for Indiana’s most vulnerable families. Dianna Wallace of IAEYC recommended that the state implement a high-level early learning system with coordinated governance through a state Early Childhood Advisory Committee.
“The formation of this committee, comprised of early learning leaders from around the state, is a necessary first step in creating coordinated early learning services for Hoosier children,” said Wallace. “We have been working on the formation of such a committee for over five years! This new committee is a significant indication that the state is recognizing that education begins at birth and is extremely important during the first years of a child’s life, when brain development is at its peak.”
Senator Earline Rogers made the formal motion to establish the Early Learning Advisory Committee, prompting the vote in favor of the motion. “I’ve always been committed to the importance of early childhood education,” said Senator Rogers. “After our unanimous vote today, I’ll introduce a bill this session to establish the Early Learning Committee to serve in an advisory capacity to the Education Roundtable. I’ve always been ‘sold’ on Parents as Teachers and other early learning programs. Now I’d like to see our Department of Education seek available federal dollars to support such programs here in Indiana.”
“We have to do away with the outdated presumption that education begins when a child walks through the school doors for the first time,” said Gail Johnson, the Indiana State Leader for Parents as Teachers, a parent support and early learning program provided by organizations and agencies in Northwest Indiana and across the state. “We now know that if a child receives what they need in the first five years of life, they are much more likely to graduate high school, go on to college, and earn a much higher wage on average as adults. At the same time, children who do not receive quality early childhood support are much more likely to become teen parents, be arrested for violent crimes, and drop out of school.”
Representative Shelli VanDenburgh, who during the meeting praised early learning programs such as Parents as Teachers, said, “We should be doing so much more to support Hoosier families and help parents learn how to maximize their child’s development during the first five years of life. The research shows that every $1 we spend in early childhood will result in a $17 benefit to society, by increasing the likelihood that children will be literate, employable, or go on to college. Forming this Early Learning Advisory Committee will ensure that our leaders will continue to discuss the importance of early learning in this state. And hopefully we can take action steps to support early learning programs for Hoosier children!”
Rep. VanDenburgh represents District 19, including portions of Lake and Porter Counties. Senator Rogers represents District 3, and Senator Mrvan represents District 1, both in northern Lake County.
Minutes from the Interim Study Committee on Education Issues meeting are available at: http://www.in.gov/legislative/interim/committee/minutes/ICEIE9T.pdf
Parents as Teachers of Lake County, Inc. provides parent support and early learning services to over 400 children in Lake County. We also provide assistance for schools and other organizations offering early learning & parent support. The programs in our partnership serve a total of 1,300 children in Lake, Porter, and LaPorte Counties.
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