Importance of Early Childhood Education

What’s the urgency?

Tennessee is facing a threat to the future growth and prosperity of our state.

Nearly two-thirds of Tennessee’s 3rd grade public school children aren’t proficient in reading and math. [1] Yet 3rd grade is a critical benchmark year for future academic success. Like bricks and mortar in a house, learning is layered on top of prior learning. If the foundation is weak, later achievement will falter. That’s what’s happening in Tennessee.

Investment in the early years pay big dividends

Investment in the earliest years of human development establishes a set of skills and abilities that raises the productivity of all subsequent human capital investments. Returns are highest for investments made at younger ages, while remedial investments are often prohibitively costly. [9]

Early brain development plays a critical role.

In the first 3 years of life, a child’s brain is the most impressionable, forming one million new neural connections every second to create the “wiring” that becomes the foundation upon which all later learning is built. [7]

Adult responsiveness is the key driver of young child brain development. When an infant or young child babbles, gestures, or cries, and an adult responds appropriately with eye contact, words, or a hug, neural connections are built and strengthened in the child’s brain. This is known as “serve and return” interaction and is critical for early brain growth. But children who face adversity, like poverty, often don’t get appropriate adult responsiveness. In these cases the developing brain is disrupted, and the child is at far greater risk for subsequent physical, cognitive and emotional impairment. [8]

How does Tennessee address the early learning gaps?

TQEE is committed to effective policy that improves and expands access to quality early education programs — broadly defined as education programs that serve children from birth through third grade. For young children, the reality is that every environment — whether home, preschool, childcare or elementary school — is a learning environment. They key is that whatever the context, children are getting the emotional and cognitive development and critical foundation necessary for success in school and life.

For young children, the reality is that every environment — whether home, preschool, childcare or elementary school — is a learning environment. They key is that whatever the context, children are getting the emotional and cognitive development and critical foundation necessary for success in school and life.

Tennessee can make a giant leap forward in early education outcomes by choosing policies that:

Support parents to be their child’s first effective teacher;
Expand access to high quality childcare and preschool;
Improve instructional quality PreK- 3rd grade; and
Build strong accountability and continuous improvement systems for all early education programs.

Supported by Leaders You Trust

The efforts of TQEE are supported by industry professionals,
families & thought leaders in Tennessee.

Beth Rhinehart

CEO, Bristol Chamber of Commerce

Recruiting new businesses to our region depends on a skilled workforce. Development of essential workforce skills begins in the earliest years of a child’s life when the brain is developing the most.

Rev. Kenneth Robinson, MD

CEO United Way of Mid-South

Candice McQueen

TN Commissioner of Education

Literacy is the civil rights issue of our time. If we are going to get it right, we must start early.

David Rausch

Knoxville Police Chief

I am proud to support the work of TQEE. Law enforcement leaders see firsthand and the research is clear that high-quality early learning programs set our children up for success and can steer kids away from crime.

Early Education