Maine lawmakers can make a big impact on reducing future crime by supporting increased investments in PreK programs, as proposed in Gov. Mills’ supplemental budget.
Expanding access to PreK programs to every Maine community will help make sure every child enters kindergarten prepared to succeed. Kids who start school ready to succeed are more likely to do well in every grade, stay out of trouble, and become productive adults. They are less likely to commit crimes, resulting in safer Maine communities and even significant cost savings.
For all of these reasons, I fully support the goal of making sure high-quality PreK is available to every Maine child.
PreK programs help prepare children for later academic success by developing the foundational cognitive and social-emotional skills they need to be good learners. For some kids, especially those who are at-risk, early education participation gives children a better shot to avoid falling behind their peers. Sadly, some children are behind academically on the first day of kindergarten and are never able to catch up. Quality PreK can help our youngest students avoid those deficits, which can, in turn, help keep them on track to finish high school, and even further their education beyond graduation.
Research supports these positive outcomes. A recent 15-year study of Cincinnati children on kindergarten readiness, preschool attendance, and academic achievement found that kids who regularly attended high-quality preschool were more likely to be ready for kindergarten than kids who did not. The study further found that children who were kindergarten-ready were more likely to meet learning benchmarks in third and eighth grades, and more than twice as likely to graduate from high school.
A separate study on early education outcomes for young adults found that kids who participate in high-quality PreK are 44 percent more likely to graduate from high school. High school graduation is a key component of crime prevention, as research shows that six of ten prisoners lack a high school diploma.
Additional research shows the impact high-quality early learning has on reducing future crime. A long-term Michigan study, the Perry Preschool Project, studied at-risk pre-school kids and followed them into adulthood. The study found that kids who participated in the PreK program performed better throughout school, were much more likely to graduate high school, and far less likely to commit crimes. A study of the Chicago Child-Parent Centers found that preschool had crime prevention effects, as did an investigation of the Oklahoma preschool program.
The Perry Preschool Project also study found the return on investment was significant in education and welfare savings, and even more so in crime savings. For every dollar invested in the program, nearly $13 was saved.
PreK opportunities in Maine have increased a great deal in recent years. Today, 79 percent of school districts offer some form of public PreK for four-year-olds. Approximately one-third of school districts offer at least four full days of PreK per week, and half of Maine school districts offer at least three half-days of PreK programming per week. This school year, nearly half of Maine’s four-year-olds — about 6,300 kids — are enrolled in public PreK.
Bath’s Regional School Unit 1 is a great example of what can be achieved. RSU1 operates a Pre-K program called CHOICES that provides free, inclusive, developmentally appropriate Pre-K programming open to all area four-year-olds. With locations that include area public schools, private programs, and a Head Start program, CHOICES also is a great example of community collaboration.
These expanded PreK opportunities are good news for our state. In my work in law enforcement, I have witnessed what the research tells us: high-quality early learning programs help kids stay out of trouble and succeed in school and life. It reduces crime, keeping our communities safer and lowering costs to the criminal justice system. Supporting early education programs like PreK for all kids is a no-brainer.
I am excited to see the positive outcomes and benefits of expanded PreK in Maine continue. I encourage continued support for additional investments, like those outlined in the governor’s supplemental budget, to make sure all kids have access to high-quality PreK and the strong start in life they deserve.
Mike Field is the chief of the Bath Police Department.
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