Drew Wilson
State Rep. Vance Aloupis knows a thing or two about early childhood education.
In addition to representing his constituents in Tallahassee, the Miami Republican leads The Children’s Movement of Florida, a nonprofit focused on getting Florida children ready for Kindergarten and beyond.
The organization has long stressed that if children hit developmental milestones in their first few years of life, the entire state benefits, whether through fewer entering criminal justice system, lower social safety net costs or higher economic output when they move from school to work.
On Tuesday, Aloupis reiterated those points during a speech at the Florida Chamber of Commerce’s Future of Florida Forum.
“Children who are born to middle-class parents with college degrees have more gray matter than children born into poverty,” he said.
What’s gray matter? Aloupis said It’s the part of the brain that deals with executive functions, higher thought and the ability to control one’s emotions.
Aloupis used his own children as an example of the gap between children born to middle class families and those born into poverty.
His 18-month-old daughter is quickly developing a larger vocabulary, is able to tell her older sisters apart and easily recognizes animal sounds.
Those achievements can be elusive for less affluent families. Research shows that the bulk of brain development happens by age 3, compounding the impact of missing those developmental milestones.
That poses even more perilous problems for those first entering the workforce in 2030. According to Florida Chamber research, more than half the jobs available in a decade will be in new industries and businesses will need agile learners to fill them.
One surefire way to make sure businesses have the workforce they need for future success is through robust investments in early childhood education.
“The business community needs to be at the center of this issue.”Aloupis asserted.
