Why does this matter?  Here are the top things you need to know about the early years:

• Research shows that a child's brain develops most dramatically during the early years of life.
• By kindergarten entry, many children are so far behind that they may never catch up.
• Children who are not reading proficiently at third grade are four times more likely not to graduate high school.
• 62% of Virginia's incoming 4th graders score below proficient reading levels.
• Holding back a child in kindergarten adds almost $8,000 to the public cost of that child's education.
• Children who repeat grades cost Virginia taxpayers about $80 million per year.
• In Virginia, for every $1 we invest in school-age children, only 23 cents are invested in preschool-aged children, birth to age 5.
• Nationally, 49% of children arriving at school unprepared come from middle and upper income families.
• According to the Federal Reserve, every $1 spent on investing in the early years delivers a $7 return on investment by:
  • Reducing special education costs
  • Reducing costs to hold a child back
  • Increasing high school graduation rates
  • And lowering crime rates