It may sound surprising, but preschoolers and toddlers have the power to impact neighborhood flourishing. The evidence is clear – early childhood education is critical to a community’s positive future. Unfortunately, many neighborhoods’ littlest residents lack access to quality, affordable education. Today, we’ll explore how investment in early learning can promote overall neighborhood health.
Is Early Learning Important?
When enrolled in quality programs in infancy or early toddlerhood, children see big benefits. A study published in 2022 followed a cohort of children in Tulsa, Oklahoma as they participated in a high quality program including research-based curriculum, family involvement, and child screenings. The children performed better academically than their peers through the end of third grade.
During the first five years of a child’s life, their brain forms the foundation for all later development. When stimulated by quality education, children are less likely to need educational interventions and other social services in the future. Evidence shows a reduced likelihood for interactions with the criminal justice system, and even ensures better health outcomes. Unfortunately, there’s no cohesive early learning program throughout the United States, and not every child is given equal access.
Purpose Built Invests in Early Learning
Data like this is one of the reasons Purpose Built Communities and our fellow network members’ models often emphasize investing in children as a way to promote overall neighborhood health & wellbeing.
Purpose Built communities knows that early learning benefits the entire community, and they’re committed to strengthening programs for young children. According to Carol Naughton, Purpose Built CEO, opportunities lie in amplifying the voices of educators and caregivers. At both the governmental and grassroots level, efforts must be made to pay educators and caregivers a living wage so they can provide for their families and their students.
Harnessing the Power of Education in South Atlanta
Our community is full of educators, which isn’t surprising, considering that Historic South Atlanta was originally designed to be a mixed-income neighborhood within walking distance of Clark College and Gammon Theological Seminary! Many of the educators who live in South Atlanta come from a long line of teachers, caregivers, and community leaders who worked tirelessly to support families and young neighbors. We’re hearing from them that it’s time to dive deeper into conversations about early learning opportunities in South Atlanta and the future of flourishing for our youngest residents. We can’t wait to share more!
