facts of The achievement gap

Stanford University (2013) Study: 

• Research found that the achievement gap can be seen between children from different socio-economic groups at just 18 months old. 
• By age three, children from the wealthiest families hear 30 million more words than children from the most impoverished families, which affects later reading skills and overall school success.

The achievement gap continues to grow from there: 

• We know that one in three children in Florida arrives in kindergarten not ready to learn. 
• By the time children reach third grade, more than 10% (more than two in five) of children are not reading at grade level.
• By 10th grade, almost 50% of children are not reading at grade level. 

These early differences in reading ability translate into grave consequences: 

• An Annie E. Casey Foundation study linked reading below grade level in fourth grade to increased high school dropout rates. 
• A Northeastern University study showed that one in ten American male high school dropouts between 16 and 24 are in prison or juvenile detention.

We can see Florida’s priorities when we see how public funds are budgeted: 

• Florida spends more than $50,000 a year to incarcerate a juvenile, but less than $3,000 a year to educate a child in pre-K, and not even $8,000 per child for a year in K-12. 
• “A preventive, rather than a reactive, approach to state budgeting could save lives — and your tax dollars.”
• Link to Miami Herald article: https://www.miamiherald.com/article217795075.html

If children’s ability to succeed in school is already affected before they even meet their kindergarten teacher, we clearly must start earlier and help mitigate contributing factors: 

• If Florida thoughtfully invests in the early learning years, should children get additional services necessary to their development, we would help tens of thousands of Florida’s children.
• & at the same time, make the most prudent use of taxpayer dollars. 
• In so doing, we would see less crime, a more robust workforce, and millions of public dollars saved.

Stanford University (2013) Study: 

• Research found that the achievement gap can be seen between children from different socio-economic groups at just 18 months old. 
• By age three, children from the wealthiest families hear 30 million more words than children from the most impoverished families, which affects later reading skills and overall school success.

The achievement gap continues to grow from there: 

• We know that one in three children in Florida arrives in kindergarten not ready to learn. 
• By the time children reach third grade, more than 10% (more than two in five) of children are not reading at grade level.
• By 10th grade, almost 50% of children are not reading at grade level. 

These early differences in reading ability translate into grave consequences: 

• An Annie E. Casey Foundation study linked reading below grade level in fourth grade to increased high school dropout rates. 
• A Northeastern University study showed that one in ten American male high school dropouts between 16 and 24 are in prison or juvenile detention.

We can see Florida’s priorities when we see how public funds are budgeted: 

• Florida spends more than $50,000 a year to incarcerate a juvenile, but less than $3,000 a year to educate a child in pre-K, and not even $8,000 per child for a year in K-12. 
• “A preventive, rather than a reactive, approach to state budgeting could save lives — and your tax dollars.”
• Link to Miami Herald article: https://www.miamiherald.com/article217795075.html

If children’s ability to succeed in school is already affected before they even meet their kindergarten teacher, we clearly must start earlier and help mitigate contributing factors: 

• If Florida thoughtfully invests in the early learning years, should children get additional services necessary to their development, we would help tens of thousands of Florida’s children.
• & at the same time, make the most prudent use of taxpayer dollars. 
• In so doing, we would see less crime, a more robust workforce, and millions of public dollars saved.

Stanford University (2013) Study: 

• Research found that the achievement gap can be seen between children from different socio-economic groups at just 18 months old. 
• By age three, children from the wealthiest families hear 30 million more words than children from the most impoverished families, which affects later reading skills and overall school success.

The achievement gap continues to grow from there: 

• We know that one in three children in Florida arrives in kindergarten not ready to learn. 
• By the time children reach third grade, more than 10% (more than two in five) of children are not reading at grade level.
• By 10th grade, almost 50% of children are not reading at grade level. 

These early differences in reading ability translate into grave consequences: 

• An Annie E. Casey Foundation study linked reading below grade level in fourth grade to increased high school dropout rates. 
• A Northeastern University study showed that one in ten American male high school dropouts between 16 and 24 are in prison or juvenile detention.

We can see Florida’s priorities when we see how public funds are budgeted: 

• Florida spends more than $50,000 a year to incarcerate a juvenile, but less than $3,000 a year to educate a child in pre-K, and not even $8,000 per child for a year in K-12. 
• “A preventive, rather than a reactive, approach to state budgeting could save lives — and your tax dollars.”
• Link to Miami Herald article: https://www.miamiherald.com/article217795075.html

If children’s ability to succeed in school is already affected before they even meet their kindergarten teacher, we clearly must start earlier and help mitigate contributing factors: 

• If Florida thoughtfully invests in the early learning years, should children get additional services necessary to their development, we would help tens of thousands of Florida’s children.
• & at the same time, make the most prudent use of taxpayer dollars. 
• In so doing, we would see less crime, a more robust workforce, and millions of public dollars saved.

Stanford University (2013) Study: 

• Research found that the achievement gap can be seen between children from different socio-economic groups at just 18 months old. 
• By age three, children from the wealthiest families hear 30 million more words than children from the most impoverished families, which affects later reading skills and overall school success.

The achievement gap continues to grow from there: 

• We know that one in three children in Florida arrives in kindergarten not ready to learn. 
• By the time children reach third grade, more than 10% (more than two in five) of children are not reading at grade level.
• By 10th grade, almost 50% of children are not reading at grade level. 

These early differences in reading ability translate into grave consequences: 

• An Annie E. Casey Foundation study linked reading below grade level in fourth grade to increased high school dropout rates. 
• A Northeastern University study showed that one in ten American male high school dropouts between 16 and 24 are in prison or juvenile detention.

We can see Florida’s priorities when we see how public funds are budgeted: 

• Florida spends more than $50,000 a year to incarcerate a juvenile, but less than $3,000 a year to educate a child in pre-K, and not even $8,000 per child for a year in K-12. 
• “A preventive, rather than a reactive, approach to state budgeting could save lives — and your tax dollars.”
• Link to Miami Herald article: https://www.miamiherald.com/article217795075.html

If children’s ability to succeed in school is already affected before they even meet their kindergarten teacher, we clearly must start earlier and help mitigate contributing factors: 

• If Florida thoughtfully invests in the early learning years, should children get additional services necessary to their development, we would help tens of thousands of Florida’s children.
• & at the same time, make the most prudent use of taxpayer dollars. 
• In so doing, we would see less crime, a more robust workforce, and millions of public dollars saved.