It may seem far away, but babies at home, toddlers in day care, and young children in preschool will soon enough be where you are today – leading our businesses and our communities.

You know from experience that one of the most important aspects to your success is your ability to build and maintain relationships. What we can tell you is that too many Wisconsin children are showing up to school without a basic understanding of how to get along with others. Why does that matter? Social skills like paying attention and cooperating are fundamental for school readiness.

When children aren’t ready for school, they fall behind. When they fall behind, they often can’t catch up.

Businesses and policymakers can play key roles in supporting families and helping prepare young children for future success in school, work, and the community. Research from Nobel Prize winning University of Chicago Economics Professor James Heckman illustrates how making an early investment in young children reaps dividends for our economy and society. 

“Quality early education for at-risk children can produce an annual rate of return as high as 16% -- higher than most stock portfolios. It should be at the top of any state’s economic development agenda.”