Join in to help build great young Tennesseans, from pre-K upward

From The Tennessean

Tennessee Voices
Op-ed by Mary Graham

In response to a challenge by Gov. Phil Bredesen, the United Ways of Tennessee have provided matching funds for 47 pre-K classrooms across the state, bringing quality early education to more than 900 4-year-olds. This collaborative approach to early education, which is playing out across the state, is a hallmark of Tennessee's program and serves as a national model for quality pre-K programs.

In Nashville, the United Way has sponsored pre-K classrooms at McNeilly Center for Children, the Martha O'Bryan Center and Fannie Battle Day Home for Children as part of this collaborative effort. Through these partnerships, United Way has been able to further invest in the community and reach out to its youngest members, who until now have had limited opportunities for a structured learning experience.

Education is Gov. Bredesen's top priority, and while he looks to improve education at all levels, the expansion of Tennessee's pre-kindergarten program is arguably his most personal project and perhaps the most underestimated in terms of real impact.

By now, it's no secret that the benefits of pre-K extend far beyond age 4. At the grammar school level, we see students who are more likely to read at grade level and perform better on standardized tests. At the high school level, we see greater retention and graduation rates. As adults, we see more citizens who are well adjusted and less likely to rely on government assistance.

In every case, we see individuals with stronger, more adept social skills and healthier emotional and physical lifestyles. I think you'd be hard-pressed to find anyone who doesn't see the benefit of self-sufficient, upstanding citizens.

Last spring, the governor issued a charge for every United Way in the state to sponsor a local pre-K classroom as part of Tennessee's collaboration system. The system provides partial state funding to willing local school districts and 3-Star certified child-care centers to open classrooms. The remaining funds must come from an outside source, be it the school district itself, a private child-care provider, a community nonprofit organization or a local for-profit company.

This approach is fast becoming one of the nation's most widely accepted methods for bringing quality early education to 4-year-olds. In fact, Tennessee was just recognized by the National Institute for Early Education Research as one of the highest quality pre-K programs in the country. For a state that rarely finds itself at the top of any educational score sheet, this is certainly something of which we can be proud. It also reaffirms that collaboration and early education are working in Tennessee.

For every great example of community partnership, there are countless opportunities for more successful collaborations. As pre-K in Tennessee continues to grow, it is imperative that others join in United Way's commitment and help make quality early education a reality for more children in our state. By supporting pre-K expansion and encouraging legislators to do the same, we can make a brighter future for Tennessee.

Mary Graham is president of United Ways of Tennessee, which provided more than $96 million this past year to support more than 1,200 agencies and meet the most essential needs of Tennesseans. E-mail: mary.graham@uwtn.org