Every parent wants their child to succeed, both in school and life. Although there is a plethora of ways to achieve this, the earlier you can start, the better. If you have a toddler, enrolling them into a pre-kindergarten program has been proven to help them flourish well into their adulthood. More commonly known as "pre-K," the benefits of this early childhood learning program have been lauded so much that the United States government has been looking to make it universally available. To better understand what this means, here's what you need to know. 

History & Costs

In 2021, Congress introduced a plan that would allocate $450 billion for early childhood learning programs, such as pre-K. For the first three years, it would be funded by the federal government. Afterward, the cost would fall to the state for five years.

The exact cost varies by state, but it could be up to 40% of the costs. Some states already offer universal pre-K. This concept is an expansion of a previous plan that provided preschool for toddlers who were coming from low-income households. 

Benefits

For parents, the benefit of early childhood learning programs like this can be seen immediately. Pre-K and preschool programs in general allow kids to pick up skills in reading, mathematics, socialization, and much more. So, by the time they enter kindergarten, they're less likely to struggle.

This ultimately makes it easier on the teachers who don't have to teach this; they can build upon it. Beyond grade school and well into the future, investing in these programs has been shown to ultimately benefit the overall labor market and productivity. 

If you have a toddler that's ready for pre-K, contact A Rising Star Children's Center in Croton-on-Hudson, NY. For more than 18 years, families have trusted them for their quality educational programs and child care. They offer programs for kids from the ages of 2 to 5 years old, so if you have other children, don't hesitate to get in touch. You can learn about all their early childhood learning programs on their website or call them at (914) 862-4283 to speak to someone directly.