PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Early childhood education has proven to be critical. Advocates say kindergarten can set children up for the rest of their elementary school years and even their lives, EdSource reported, as most brain development occurs before the age of 5.
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According to a study by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, students who were not reading proficiently by the end of third grade were more likely to drop out of school. Similarly, 88% of students who did not earn a high school diploma said they struggled with reading in third grade.
Despite the research, many barriers continue to keep children from learning at their necessary pace. Most families cannot afford proper child care, and most child care providers are not making livable wages.
In the United States, day care costs an average of $17,000 a year for an infant — which 60% of families cannot afford, according to NPR’s Planet Money. Considering the high cost of day care, one would think workers would be making enough money to match, but most workers make $15 an hour, at most.
And even before the COVID-19 pandemic, 60% of students started kindergarten without the enrichment they needed. Experts say that number is only increasing.
“The business model of early child care simply doesn’t work,” said Dr. Aimee E. Ketchum, a pediatric occupational therapist and assistant professor at Cedar Crest College in Allentown. “We’re one of the only wealthy countries that doesn’t subsidize child care. Every other country sees that this business model doesn’t work and they invest in that to help families.”
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In this episode of KYW Newsradio In Depth, Ketchum explains other barriers families and child care providers face, and also shares tips for parents to help their children learn at home.
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