I do not have kids. In fact, for a variety of reasons, I don’t know if I’ll ever have kids. Still, I recognize that our children are the future of our community. What’s best for them is, well, what’s best for everyone — whether or not you’re a parent. With that in mind, I’m here to support the adoption of a universal preschool program here in the city of Ann Arbor. Although I’m not a parent, the benefits that adopting this policy would bring to our community are clear — for every $1 a taxpayer spends on preschools, we’ll see a return of $6.30. If we’d like to continue excelling as a community, it’s in our best interest to pass a measure to implement universal preschool.
First, what do I even mean by universal preschool? By this, I’m referring to government-funded preschool coverage for all children, regardless of their financial background. Similar to how public school districts provide education for kindergarten to 12th grade, universal preschool would ensure pre-k coverage for all members of our community. While support for this policy is widespread — with a recent poll finding that 85% of voters are in favor of the government increasing its support of preschool programs — not much action has been taken. To date, only four states offer truly universal preschool. Michigan does not. Instead, the state of Michigan created the Great Start Program, which is aimed at provided preschool for children from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. However, due to budget cuts, the program currently has a long waitlist. As a result, families across Michigan — including here in Ann Arbor — do not have access to these preschool programs. Consequently, I believe that Ann Arbor should join the many cities across the country in adopting our own universal preschool programs. The effects of this will not only change the lives of the program’s participants, it will also radically change our community for the better.
A plethora of research shows that children who attend preschool programs tend to have higher employment numbers — and higher future income levels — than those who don’t. Furthermore, these children go on to higher graduation rates than children not enrolled in preschool programs. This is important because, according to the same research paper, “each [high school] dropout leads to an estimated $689,000 reduction in individual lifetime earnings and a $262,000 cost to the broader economy.” By doing all we can to ensure people stay in school and earn more money, we’re not only bettering their life chances — we’re also improving the revenue generated in our community, leading to more programs that all Ann Arborites can benefit from. Finally, children who attend preschool programs are less likely to commit a crime than those that don’t — making our neighborhoods and streets safer.
However, most importantly, in my opinion, is that implementing universal preschool in our community would go a long way in making Ann Arbor into a more equitable city. According to a report published by the Urban Institute, low-income families would benefit the most from universal preschool programs. Not only are the above effects of preschool amplified for children who come from low SES backgrounds, but these families are often the ones most in need of childcare in the first place. “Mothers from very low income families are twice as likely to work seasonal jobs, to experience frequent job changes, and to work jobs with changing shifts,” the report found. It went on to say that “finding care can be especially problematic for low-income working families…[because] these employment realities can affect families’ ability to use child care, as certain options may not match their scheduling needs.” Consequently, many low-income families find themselves trapped in a vicious cycle. They can’t find stable work because they must look after their children during the day, which bars them from ever advancing in their work. By implementing universal preschool, these parents would have the entire day to focus on bettering their own situation — either professionally or through further schooling — while their child learns at school. Either way, this program would help level the playing field for families who need it most. Furthermore, this would also make Ann Arbor more equitable for our community’s teachers. According to a joint report from the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Education, “teachers and caregivers who work in publicly funded settings, particularly school-sponsored or public pre-K, earn higher wages than those working in other settings.” Not only would this increased pay be beneficial to the teachers who’d receive it, this higher pay would also ensure that preschool children receive a higher quality of education — which would further amplify the effects outlined above.
In summary, implementing universal preschool would go a long way to create a more educated, safe, and prosperous Ann Arbor. With so many cities across the country implementing their own programs to address this issue, I am certain that Ann Arbor could also find a way to make it work. To kickstart this fight, please reach out to your local representative to discuss the issue!