The Fort Scott Tribune -

According to various research projects, providing children with quality early childhood education could help fight crime.

According to an article in the Kansas Association of School Boards Review, law enforcement officials from both Kansas and Missouri released a report in August which links high school drop-outs to violent crime. The law enforcement officials asked state and federal leaders to increase funding for early childhood education programs in an effort to raise graduation rates.

"In the 2008 Legislative Session, KASB joined with a number of other groups to support expanded state funding for early special education, Head Start and other pre-K programs, and all-day kindergarten," KASB said. "The Legislature approved $11 million from the Children's Initiative Fund to support block grants for these programs ... KASB is recommending continued expansion of funding for early childhood education."

According to a report entitled, School or the Streets, cited in the KASB article, students who drop-out of school are "three and one-half times more likely to be arrested and more than eight times more likely to be incarcerated," KASB said.

According to the research, murder and aggravated assault rates can be reduced by 20 percent with a 10 percent increase in graduation rates. The report estimated the number of murders this would prevent in Kansas alone.

"In Kansas, that means a 10 percent graduation rate increase would prevent 25 murders and 1,700 aggravated assaults," KASB said. "In addition, the report estimates that a 10 percent increase in male graduation rates would save Kansas approximately $124 million every year in crime and welfare cost."

 

 

KASB said research shows placing young children in high-quality pre-kindergarten programs is the most effective measure in preventing them from dropping out of school during their high school years. Participation in early-education programs in Kansas is, however, at a low rate.

"However, in Kansas, 86 percent of three-year-olds and 66 percent of four-year-olds were not enrolled in state pre-kindergarten programs, Head Start or early special education programs," KASB said.

According to Fight Crime: Invest in Kids, a national anti-crime organization, scientific research has confirmed the importance of children's early years. A great amount of developmental changes occur from the time a child is born to age five. Participation in various early learning environments influences the way a child develops.

"Law enforcement leaders recognize that among the most powerful weapons to prevent crime and violence are quality early childhood care and education programs, including home visiting for new parents, quality child care, Early Head Start, Head Start, and pre-kindergarten that help kids get the right start in life," Fight Crime said.

According to SEK-CAP Director of Early Childhood Services Linda Broyles, the local Head Start's comprehensive program helps educate children in various ways which will have long-lasting effects.

"We work with the whole child and the whole family," Broyles said. "Early development and school readiness are not just about ABC and 123. Though that is important, it is also about knowing how to express emotions, resolve conflicts and solve problems."

Broyles added some families see crime-related activities as normal, and have learned violence is a manipulation tool that allows people to get their own way.

"These adults have never learned self regulation. Many of them do not have adequate social skills nor do they have a role model who can teach those skills. All they know how to do is strike back, and that philosophy is passed on from generation to generation," Broyles said.

According to Broyles, Head Start teaches children a variety of skills, such as empathy, through its anti-violence curriculum. In addition, Head Start uses Positive Behavior Support to reinforce desirable behavior, instead of focusing on negative behavior.

According to information provided by New Generation Preschool and Daycare Co-owner and director Amy Boyd, the local early childhood education program taught at New Generation helps equip the children with life skills, which will enable them to successfully interact with others. Along with academic preparedness, some of the skills children are taught at New Generation include showing respect for others, helping others in need, sharing, and working cooperatively with others . In addition, students are taught how to constructively resolve conflicts rather than use physical violence, such as hitting or pinching, to get their way.

According to Broyles, the types of lessons taught at both Head Start and New Generation helps ready these young children for the next step in their educational journeys and well beyond that.

"If a child leaves a preschool environment knowing how to control their impulses and emotions, how to share and take turns, and how to listen and follow directions; they are much more likely to be successful in school and later in life," Broyles said. "Resolving conflicts, solving problems, controlling impulses and communicating your emotions are life skills."

The Positive Behavior Support training and the anti-violence curriculum conducted at Head Start is available to parents also, according to Broyles.

"By making this training available to parents," she said, "we model ways that they can work with their child to follow expectations. If we are working as a team with children, the children are more likely to succeed and build skills that will last a lifetime.

According to Attorney General Steve Six, enhancing early childhood education initiatives will help strengthen schools and help prevent future crime and violence, the KASB article said.

September 18, 2008 - Rayma Silvers