At Align, our mission is to create strong communities by partnering with nonprofits, government and businesses for more impactful, successful organizations and programs. The early childhood programs within the Align portfolio, directly connect, and support the wider economic development strategies statewide. Our economic future depends on providing the tools for upward mobility and building a highly educated, skilled workforce. (Heckman Equation. 2021)
Studies show:
- Investments in high-quality early childhood education can generate up to $7.30 per dollar invested.
- Access to stable, high-quality child care also helps parents improve their labor productivity by increasing work hours, missing fewer work days and pursuing further education.
- The availability of early childhood education programs attracts homebuyers and increases property values by $13 for every dollar invested in local programs.
- Early childhood education reduces grade retention and is shown to save school systems money for K-12 education.
- Participants in high-quality early childhood education also show long-term gains in the form of lower rates of incarceration (46% reduction), lower rates of arrest for violent crimes (33% reduction) and a reduced likelihood of receiving government assistance (26% reduction). (First Five Years Fund. 2021)
To learn more about the economic impact of early childhood education, visit The Committee for Economic Development’s Child Care Impact page and check out the Wyoming State Fact Sheet and Wyoming Infographic.