Don't turn education crisis into national security crisis ...

ALAN M. STEINMAN; DuPont | ? Published June 30, 2011

I write in reference to the column, ?Early childhood education is a key ingredient for success of businesses.?

Just as high-quality early education is critical for a skilled workforce, it is also critical for our national security.

Poor educational achievement is a primary reason why 75 percent of young Americans are unable to join the military, according to the Defense Department. Without a high school diploma, it?s virtually impossible to enlist.

In Washington, 28 percent of students do not graduate from high school on time, and even among our state?s high school graduates who attempt to join the military, 16 percent fail the basic skills exam.

Long-term studies of high-quality early education programs, such as those cited in Michael Cade?s column, show that at-risk children benefit greatly from these programs.

Unfortunately, automatic budget mechanisms like spending caps now under discussion in Congress could have a calamitous impact on these programs because they severely limit our ability to prioritize our most effective interventions for children.

I urge U.S. Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell to ensure that we do not pursue this course of action so that our education crisis does not become a national security crisis.

Source: http://www.theolympian.com/2011/06/30/1706692/dont-turn-education-crisis-into.html

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