A commissioner’s perspective Janet E. Jackson ! President and CEO ! of the United Way ! of Central Ohio! Investing in early education programs pays significant dividends over the long term: children who enter school ready to succeed tend to be more successful in grade school, are less likely to drop out of school, and earn more as adults (Brookings Institute). Not only does an investment in early child education help to reduce future costs for the community, it also helps to ensure Columbus has a strong and well prepared workforce. A long term investment in early child education will help to better position the community regionally, nationally and internationally for development opportunities. ! ! In other words, if we significantly improve levels of school readiness, we are likely to improve the economic and social well-being of the community, as well as the individual child.! ! We have a lot of good to build on in Columbus. United Way of Central Ohio, the Columbus Metropolitan Library, Learn4Life, nonprofit agencies and neighborhood programs, the faith community, local government, and local schools are working with families and helping children get ready for kindergarten.! ! We have much to do but, thankfully, we have the foundation, the knowledge, and the will to meet the needs of our children. We need to build capacity, align our approaches, and make early childhood a clear focus for all.! reimaginecolumbuseducation.org Follow us on Twitter @reimaginecbused