Local businesses asked to consider educating future workers

Reading levels of children in the third-grade are used in California and Virginia to predict how many jail cells will be needed in the future.

That was one example given by Jim Caccamo, PhD, director of the department of early learning at the Mid-America Regional Council in Kansas City, Mo., as he spoke to business leaders Friday morning on the importance of early childhood education.

His presentation at the Osage Community Centre was sponsored by the United Way of Southeast Missouri's "Success by 6" initiative and the Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce.

"If you don't get it right from the beginning it's really hard to fix it afterwards. It's very difficult and it's cost prohibitive," said Caccamo, who worked in the Independence, Mo., school district for more than 20 years.

For businesses to look at ways to support families makes economic sense, he said.

"It's becoming more and more difficult for us to compete in the world economy," Caccamo said. "We're having our clocks cleaned by the Pacific Rim. In China they have more kids in the 95th percentile than we have kids."

Advocating for quality preschool programs is essential to having an educated, qualified workforce in the future, he said.

Caccamo commended National Asset Recovery Services for its on-site day care program in Cape Girardeau, but said this isn't practical for every business.

Businesses can help supplement the cost of preschool for their employees' children or adopt a local preschool facility and provide funding needed for it to improve its program quality, he said.

Caccamo also encouraged businesses and individuals who donate to political campaigns to let policy makers know that early childhood education is important to them.

"They expect to hear that from me, but you can use your position as business people to raise the question and they'll listen," Caccamo.

"Success by 6" is a national United Way initiative to focus attention and act on strategies to help all children have a healthy early development. It's coordinated locally by Janice Jones.

As part of the national Week of the Young Child, the United Way sponsored three workshops focusing on various early childhood areas including a discussion on the effects of repetitive violence, a seminar for local childcare staff, and Friday's presentation to business leaders.