Effective early education will be essential to the continuing economic growth of the state, Gov. Haley Barbour said today.
“The people coming here expect much more, and we have to make sure that the pipeline is filled with workers whose education is good enough that they can do these kinds of jobs,” he said.
Barbour delivered the keynote address to close to 100 people gathered at the Downtown Marriott for the Mississippi Early Childhood Education Meeting in Jackson.
A panel of early education officials and private sector supporters also spoke at the meeting, held for the third year in a row.
Barbour said he expects education bills to meet with more success this year in the state legislature, as representatives realize businesses such as Chevron and Mississippi Power have become heavily involved in early education initiatives.
The state must continue to develop “commonsensical” plans to improve early education, Barbour said, rejecting calls for state-funded pre-school programs.
The state currently spends $300 million a year on each grade, he said, more than $8,000 per student.
Barbour said the state must work to infuse private childcare services, which care for 81 percent of 4-year-old Mississippians, with educational value.
Newly-developed quality standards that give private facilities financial incentive to meet educational goals are the answer, he said.
Full text available at the Clarion Ledger
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