In his speech at the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday, March 10th, President Obama described his vision for reforming education in the United States (click here to watch the speech). This reform, one that the President believes cannot wait, is made up of five pillars: investment in early education; improvement of standards and assessments; recruitment, preparation, and recognition of excellent teachers; encouragement of innovation and creativity; and investment in quality higher education for all Americans.

WECA applauds President Obama for his recognition of the importance of early childhood education. He understands that investments in this area will bring huge, positive returns to society as a whole. In his speech the President stated, “This isn’t just about keeping an eye on our children, it’s about educating them. Studies show that children in early childhood education programs are more likely to score higher in reading and math, more likely to graduate from high school and attend college, more likely to hold a job, and more likely to earn more in that job. For every dollar we invest in these programs, we get nearly $10 back in reduced welfare rolls, fewer health care costs, and less crime.” We couldn’t agree more.