5 Questions for the Governor Archives - Page 2 of 2 - Early Learning Nation
The State of Oklahoma is on a mission to become a Top Ten state for all Oklahomans. When we presented this concept on the campaign trail in 2018, there was deep support around this opportunity. We know that we must focus on our children and families for us to reach this goal.
Literacy is a top priority because we know that so much of our success in K-12 hinges on building better readers. In the past, we’ve had an environment of “too little, too late” when it comes to helping kids before they pass the third grade, which is recognized as a milestone for reading development.
Access to quality early childhood education is essential to the long term health and well-being of our children, it is also an investment in the workforce of the future. Virginia is ranked #1 in the nation for business and we know the only way to maintain that status is to support the leaders of tomorrow.
Since the establishment of the Department of Early Learning back in 2006, we’ve seen a lot of growth in awareness about early brain development and the importance of getting it right in the early years. The recent passage of the Fair Start for Kids Act is a historic investment in both early learning and child care, and it’s a great example of how our understanding about the importance of early childhood has advanced over the past few decades.
There’s an African proverb that’s now universally popular, and it says, “It takes a village to raise a child.” Governor Pritzker and I realize that the child care industry is part of the essential foundation that helps our children develop intellectually and emotionally. The industry allows working parents to focus on being productive on their jobs.

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