The Foundation for a Thriving
New Mexico Economy:
Success Begins at Birth
Early Childhood Action Network
2008
We All Hold the
Core Value That…
Every child
deserves an
equal start in life
…and
No parent should
have to sacrifice
their child’s wellbeing to support
their family
We Also Know That…
The success of
our children
determines the
future of our
state
Success Begins at Birth Because…
 80%
of the brain develops between
birth and age 5
 During
this time, one’s ability to
learn and attitude toward learning
are shaped for life
Early Brain Development is the
Foundation for all Learning to Come
“Both brain architecture and
developing skills are built
‘from the bottom up,’
with simple circuits
providing the
scaffolding for more
advanced circuits and
skills over time.”
Source: Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University (2007). A Science-Based Framework for Early
Childhood Policy: Using evidence to Improve Outcomes in Learning, Behavior, and Health for Vulnerable
Children. http;//www.developingchild.harvard.edu.
Human
Brain
at Birth
Source: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis
6 Years
Old
14 Years
Old
The Consequences of Failing to
Nurture the Developing Brain:
Healthy brain
Source: Neal Halfon: UCLA Center for Infant & Early Childhood Health Policy
Brain of a nurture-starved child
School Success Leads to a
Well-Prepared Work Force:
Early Childhood Development is the Foundation
Educational Level
Expected Earnings
With a Bachelor’s degree
$45,221
Without a College Degree
$26,123
Without a High School Diploma
$15,250
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2006 American Community Survey
Early Childhood Development:
The Foundation for School Success
High School Graduation
Reading Proficiency in Fourth Grade
Children Enter Kindergarten Ready To Learn
Healthy Child Development
Birth to 5 Years Old
New Mexico Faces Challenges: Early Childhood
Development Makes a Big Difference
In 2006-07, 54.4% of New Mexican
fourth graders were reading at or
above proficiency
Source: 2008 New Mexico Children’s Cabinet Report Card
New Mexico ranks 48th in the nation for
high school dropout rates
Source: KIDS COUNT Data Book: State Profiles in Child
Well-Being, Annie E. Casey Foundation, 2006
The Costs of Bad Results
Juvenile Justice
Child Welfare
Medicaid (1/3)
Welfare
Corrections (1/2)
State & Federal Expenditures
2003
2004
2005
$1.1 billion
$1.13 billion
$1.19 billion
2005 costs represent 10% of New Mexico’s
$11.1 billion state and federal fund
expenditures
Source: 2007 New Mexico Early Childhood Children’s Budget.
2005 State Expenditure Report, National Governor’s Association (NGA), National Association of Budget Officers (NASBO)
Brain Development Compared to
Public Spending
100%
Brain’s Development
80%
$ Public Expenditures
50%
0
Birth
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
22
24
Source: Neal Halfon: UCLA Center for Infant & Early Childhood Health Policy
Strategies That Work
Early Childhood Development programs that research
demonstrates yield the greatest benefits:

Prenatal and Infant ECD Programs

High Quality Early Care and Education

Voluntary Pre-K Programs
Source: Rand Corporation: Proven Benefits of Early Childhood Interventions, 2005
40-Year Study: Perry Preschool

In the early 1960s, 123 children from Ypsilanti, Mich.

Children randomly selected to attend Perry or control
group.

High-quality program with well-trained teachers, daily
classroom sessions, and weekly home visits.

Tracked participants and control group through age 40.
Source: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis
Perry Preschool —
Estimated Return on Investment

Benefit-to-cost ratio = $17 to $1

Annual rate of return = 18%

$100,000 savings in criminal costs

$62,000 savings in judicial system costs

$60,000 more in annual earnings
Source: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis
Benefit-to-Cost Ratios for Other
Long-Term Studies
 Abecedarian (NC) Educational Child Care
= $4 to $1
 Chicago (IL) Child-Parent Centers
= $7 to $1
= $2.88 to $1 – Nurse Family Partnership Program
Source: Rand Corporation
 Elmira (NY) Prenatal/Early Infancy
Project
= $5 to $1
Source: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis
Early Learning in New Mexico
Children benefit from our Pre-K program:
 54% increase in vocabulary
 40% increase in early math skills
 118% increase in understanding print
concepts
Early childhood education works;
it’s time for a bigger investment
Why Early Childhood Development Now?

Our economy has changed

Today’s jobs require more education than ever

New Mexico needs
a better-prepared
workforce to
stay competitive
Lessons Learned:
Characteristics of Effective
Early Child Development Programs

Universally available

Invest in quality

Involve parents

Start early
Conclusions
Quality early childhood
development benefits us all:
Children are prepared for school
Parents can participate in the
workforce
School success breeds life success
Our tax investments earn the best
possible rate of return