Sunday, February 4, 2018

Bill Crawford: Early childhood intervention pays.

Gov. Phil Bryant kicked off a recent seminar at the Civil Rights Museum auditorium featuring Nobel Prize winning economist Dr. James Heckman. An expert in the economics of human development, Dr. Heckman spoke on "Making the Case for Investing in High Quality Early Childhood Education in Mississippi." The Graduate Center for the Study of Early Learning at the University of Mississippi is hosting internationally known speakers to illustrate how investments in high quality early childhood education yield a high rate of return. Dr. Heckman's research shows a 10% to 13% average return on investments (ROI) in high quality programs for disadvantaged children age zero to three.
 
The Governor, who met privately with Dr. Heckman after the event, spoke of his efforts to improve "the continuum of learning" for children. Citing the high volume of Mississippi children in daycare, he also noted that training programs at community colleges are working to upgrade the skills of daycare workers.
 
Dr. Heckman said the key to growing a skilled, flexible workforce in Mississippi is by building skills and not just technical skills. He said research shows developing "social and emotional skills" from birth to age three sets the stage for development of other skills. He added that "the family is the cornerstone of effective skill development."
 
"Conscientiousness, self-control, motivation, persistence and sociability have far greater influence on full-time employment, lifetime wages, health, family and social outcomes than IQ and cognitive skills," he said.
 
These are the soft skills employers yearn for in new hires.
 
Dr. Heckman said government should focus its limited dollars for early childhood interventions on children who will be most impacted. "The highest returns come from high quality programs for disadvantaged children," he said. "Advantaged children have other resources often much better than those from public programs."
 
"Invest more in flourishing lives, not in correcting problems after they appear," he said. "Later remediation is largely ineffective."
 
Dr. Heckman was the second in the three seminar series the Graduate Center for the Study of Early Learning is presenting. Drs. Craig and Sharon Ramey, experts in early childhood brain development, made the first presentation in December. Dr. Pat Levitt, Scientific Director of the National Scientific Council on the Developing Child, will make the final presentation this week. Dr. Levitt will discuss his research showing early life experiences influence social, emotional and learning skills, and how these skills come together to help children succeed in the real world and how healthy brain architecture provides the resilience to deal with adversity experienced during the first years of life.
 
Interestingly, just days after the Governor met with Dr. Heckman, the Mississippi Department of Human Services revealed it had returned $13 million to the federal government because of the lack of state matching funds. These funds were for child care vouchers for low income families. The Clarion-Ledger reported the Governor's spokesman said, "Gov. Bryant fulfilled his statutory responsibility to balance the state’s budget" and he "is appreciative of efforts by Department of Human Services leadership to continue fulfilling the agency’s mission."
 
Hmmm.
 
What Mississippi needs and what we'll pay for don't always geehaw.
 
 
Crawford (crawfolk@gmail.com) is a syndicated columnist from Meridian.
 

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

The only way to raise the standards in Mississippi, is to raise the price of copper and other scarp metals. After going to school here, most people are only qualified to pick up trash for a living.

Anonymous said...

He said research shows developing "social and emotional skills" from birth to age three sets the stage for development of other skills.

This should be the important thing we need to remember. Too many children already have started their way to being a thug by the time they go to school. The parents are the people to blame if the child grows up to be a criminal and a drain on society. By the time they get old enough to go to school they have already been taught right from wrong.

Anonymous said...

How do you convince the parents to be a positive part of this early childhood development??? That is the real question!!!

Anonymous said...

Check out the Federal Government ...Office of Planning, Research and Development..a branch of Office of Admin for Children and Families

Here's what they do...

OPRE makes grants to support research in areas such as child care, Head Start and Early Head Start, child welfare, home visiting, welfare and employment, strengthening families and healthy marriage, and family and youth services. We do not make grants to individuals or for direct services.

In 2012, the released a report that had followed the largest group of children ever followed from Heatstart through 3rd grade, over 5000 children...the report deterermined...

In the final phase of a large-scale randomized, controlled study of nearly 5,000 children, researchers found that the positive impacts on literacy and language development demonstrated by children who entered Head Start at age 4 had dissipated by the end of 3rd grade, and that they were, on average, academically indistinguishable from their peers who had not participated in Head Start. The new findings, released today by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, are consistent with an earlier phase of the study which showed that many of the positive impacts of Head Start participation had faded by the end of 1st grade.

Just google "headstart gains lost by 3rd grade"...the report is easy to find, just not used because it doesnt fit the 100s of billions wasted on an entitlement...many headstart facilities are non-profits funded by government grants...many teachers and aids are the parents of children in the program...many with state benefits

Now there is a push to expand headstart to basically infant to pre-K...9.2 billion was spent in 2016...the expansion would cost an estimated 30 billion, almost the same amount spent on college PELL grants

Anonymous said...

And we (collectively) are all afraid to mess with Head Start. The same as we were afraid to criticize the welfare system in this state forty years ago. The same as we are afraid to criticize this and that black caucus or black group or black event or black program.

Anonymous said...

1:37 pm You cannot wait until a child is 6 years old to start teaching them. That is a no brainer.
The problem which you address is that State and local politicians use the funding of educational programs as political spoils to reward their supporters . They dare not let education challenge local belief systems no matter how archaic.
Politician support education by omission which is no different than lying by omission.
It's not what we teach, it's what we don't teach.
We don't teach social skills or coping skills or self-discipline. We don't teach a child how to objectively evaluate information.
Ignorance remains if you can spend your life avoiding what you don't know.

Early Childhood WHAT?.. said...

Asking because I don't know...

Does Headstart touch on personal responsibility, the rights of others, respecting authority, how to manage a small allowance, how to raise your hand and respect others in a group, respect for members of the opposite sex, how a gentleman or lady behaves, why society has rules, the fact that 'mother' is not half a word?

Anonymous said...

12:43 pm The answer is that you teach young people how to avoid unwanted children and how to raise children and take care of a family before they become parents.

Every student in my schools had lessons in parenting, economics{ budgeting, buying a car and home, figuring interest, and investing), child development, marriage and the family, civics and socio-economics before they graduation from high school. We also tested higher than any other school system in any Southern state. Our city was not a " suburb" and we had one high school that everyone attended.

What we did have that other cities and towns didn't have was an enlightened clergy and parents who wanted their children to be more successful than they had been.



Unknown said...

The misdirected refrain that the gains made by children in Head Start are not real because the gains disappear by third grade is not an indictment of Head Start but rather it an indictment of the poor underfunded educational system the kids are thrown into after leaving the nurturing Head Start program

@Anonymous Early Childhood WHAT?.. said...
Asking because I don't know. @ 8:39

Yes everything you mention are part of the Head Start curriculum.

So why are a certain minority segment of today's Black parents so poor at parenting? A huge part of the problem was and is the influx of drugs exported into Black communities across the US by Ollie North and the CIA to finance the Sandinistas in Nicaragua.

Just like the current opioid epidemic in the White community, the crack epidemic in the Black neighborhoods devastated individuals, families and communities. Resulting in prostitution, loss of traditional heads of households, out of wedlock births and basically children raising children. You cannot teach what you yourself do not know.

So White folks just think. The government placed crack in the Black neighborhood 40 years ago and now, again abetted by the Conservative Republicans and corporate Democrats in government, the large pharmaceutical companies are exporting addictive opioids into your White communities.

pattern continues.

Try out dastardly plans against the weakest US communities, perfect the process and the rhetoric and then, 40 years later, unleash the same type of evil on the White community.

Just saying.

Anonymous said...

F mickins, you are correct about the introduction of crack though it is a documented event that most like to sweep under the rug.

But, I'd point out to you, that while this exacerbated a problem, that long before crack, we had alcohol addiction in our poor communities.

The poor and uneducated and intellectually challenged have a far greater rate of reproduction. We have done everything , as society, that we could do to encourage that high rate.

It's not because of welfare though those who have no clue that welfare does provide enough to adequately care for any child , much less multiple children, it's because we have systematically made access to birth prevention and control impossible for those below the poverty line. Worse, we no longer allow the parents of a daughter they know cannot be responsible for herself, much less take care of children, to have that daughter sterilized.

We know that puberty in females has an earlier onset, but we now insist that 10-12 year old who reached puberty who are raped to give birth.

We insist that females with a genetic defect that we know can be passed to their offspring give birth.

So no one should be surprised that the least effectual and poorest humans among us are reproducing themselves in greater numbers.

What the poor get in great numbers is children. And, yet we are surprised when poverty increases.

The pro life women can give out loads of children's clothes and diapers and cribs. They can talk to the single mother until they are blue in the face ( she will nod and agree and try to please as is typical of the intellectually challenged) . They can visit the child they convinced her to have and the next 6 or 8 as well. But, the pro life volunteers can't make these children have a higher IQ or erase genetic defects.

If those with above average IQs have 1-4 children and the poor and those with below average IQs have 4-8, you should be able, even if math challenged to figure out there will be fewer productive people and more underproductive people in a society over time.

What we are seeing that no one has acknowledged is that while poverty was mostly among African Americans in the South, these ridiculous policies have now grown the poor white population in this country as well.

Please remember the employment rate has never included those who have never been employed. It quickly ignores those who haven't been able to function on a job and who ,in short order, become unemployable. That's the statistic neither party wants you to see.




Anonymous said...

Once again F Mickens shows up to remind us what a delusional idiotic he is. The government infected black folk with aids, caused crack addictions in the black hood, provided the rope for tens of thousands of lynchings, caused Crown Vics to explode upon acceleration, sprayed wigs with a flesh-eating bacterium and created entitlement programs as a means of breaking up black families.

Mickens has long danced to the tune of total absence of responsibility among his brothers and sisters. It's always the fault of somebody else. And as long as there is one white man standing...the finger will be pointed at HIM.

Is he aware how similar his remarks are to those of Louie Farrakhan?



Recent Comments

Search Jackson Jambalaya

Subscribe to JJ's Youtube channel

Archives

Trollfest '09

Trollfest '07 was such a success that Jackson Jambalaya will once again host Trollfest '09. Catch this great event which will leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Othor Cain and his band, The Black Power Structure headline the night while Sonjay Poontang returns for an encore performance. Former Frank Melton bodyguard Marcus Wright makes his premier appearance at Trollfest singing "I'm a Sweet Transvestite" from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." Kamikaze will sing his new hit, “How I sold out to da Man.” Robbie Bell again performs: “Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be Bells” and “Any friend of Ed Peters is a friend of mine”. After the show, Ms. Bell will autograph copies of her mug shot photos. In a salute to “Dancing with the Stars”, Ms. Bell and Hinds County District Attorney Robert Smith will dance the Wango Tango.

Wrestling returns, except this time it will be a Battle Royal with Othor Cain, Ben Allen, Kim Wade, Haley Fisackerly, Alan Lange, and “Big Cat” Donna Ladd all in the ring at the same time. The Battle Royal will be in a steel cage, no time limit, no referee, and the losers must leave town. Marshand Crisler will be the honorary referee (as it gives him a title without actually having to do anything).


Meet KIM Waaaaaade at the Entergy Tent. For five pesos, Kim will sell you a chance to win a deed to a crack house on Ridgeway Street stuffed in the Howard Industries pinata. Don't worry if the pinata is beaten to shreds, as Mr. Wade has Jose, Emmanuel, and Carlos, all illegal immigrants, available as replacements for the it. Upon leaving the Entergy tent, fig leaves will be available in case Entergy literally takes everything you have as part of its Trollfest ticket price adjustment charge.

Donna Ladd of The Jackson Free Press will give several classes on learning how to write. Smearing, writing without factchecking, and reporting only one side of a story will be covered. A donation to pay their taxes will be accepted and she will be signing copies of their former federal tax liens. Ms. Ladd will give a dramatic reading of her two award-winning essays (They received The Jackson Free Press "Best Of" awards.) "Why everything is always about me" and "Why I cover murders better than anyone else in Jackson".

In the spirit of helping those who are less fortunate, Trollfest '09 adopts a cause for which a portion of the proceeds and donations will be donated: Keeping Frank Melton in his home. The “Keep Frank Melton From Being Homeless” booth will sell chances for five dollars to pin the tail on the jackass. John Reeves has graciously volunteered to be the jackass for this honorable excursion into saving Frank's ass. What's an ass between two friends after all? If Mr. Reeves is unable to um, perform, Speaker Billy McCoy has also volunteered as when the word “jackass” was mentioned he immediately ran as fast as he could to sign up.


In order to help clean up the legal profession, Adam Kilgore of the Mississippi Bar will be giving away free, round-trip plane tickets to the North Pole where they keep their bar complaint forms (which are NOT available online). If you don't want to go to the North Pole, you can enjoy Brant Brantley's (of the Mississippi Commission on Judicial Performance) free guided tours of the quicksand field over by High Street where all complaints against judges disappear. If for some reason you are unable to control yourself, never fear; Judge Houston Patton will operate his jail where no lawyers are needed or allowed as you just sit there for minutes... hours.... months...years until he decides he is tired of you sitting in his jail. Do not think Judge Patton is a bad judge however as he plans to serve free Mad Dog 20/20 to all inmates.

Trollfest '09 is a pet-friendly event as well. Feel free to bring your dog with you and do not worry if your pet gets hungry, as employees of the Jackson Zoo will be on hand to provide some of their animals as food when it gets to be feeding time for your little loved one.

Relax at the Fox News Tent. Since there are only three blonde reporters in Jackson (being blonde is a requirement for working at Fox News), Megan and Kathryn from WAPT and Wendy from WLBT will be on loan to Fox. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both and a torn-up Obama yard sign will entitle you to free drinks served by Megan, Wendy, and Kathryn. Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required. Just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '09 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.


Note: Security provided by INS.

Trollfest '07

Jackson Jambalaya is the home of Trollfest '07. Catch this great event which promises to leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Sonjay Poontang and his band headline the night with a special steel cage, no time limit "loser must leave town" bout between Alan Lange and "Big Cat"Donna Ladd following afterwards. Kamikaze will perform his new song F*** Bush, he's still a _____. Did I mention there was no referee? Dr. Heddy Matthias and Lori Gregory will face off in the undercard dueling with dangling participles and other um, devices. Robbie Bell will perform Her two latest songs: My Best Friends are in the Media and Mama's, Don't Let Your Babies Grow up to be George Bell. Sid Salter of The Clarion-Ledger will host "Pin the Tail on the Trial Lawyer", sponsored by State Farm.

There will be a hugging booth where in exchange for your young son, Frank Melton will give you a loooong hug. Trollfest will have a dunking booth where Muhammed the terrorist will curse you to Allah as you try to hit a target that will drop him into a vat of pig grease. However, in the true spirit of Separate But Equal, Don Imus and someone from NE Jackson will also sit in the dunking booth for an equal amount of time. Tom Head will give a reading for two hours on why he can't figure out who the hell he is. Cliff Cargill will give lessons with his .80 caliber desert eagle, using Frank Melton photos as targets. Tackleberry will be on hand for an autograph session. KIM Waaaaaade will be passing out free titles and deeds to crackhouses formerly owned by The Wood Street Players.

If you get tired come relax at the Fox News Tent. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both will entitle you to free drinks.Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required, just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '07 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.

Note: Security provided by INS
.