August 2008
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Welcome to Fairfax Futures
Where Smart Businesses Invest in School Readiness 
 
Greetings!

This month, audiences across the world are captivated by the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. Although less attention-grabbing, the global competition for a well-educated workforce is no less compelling.

Ensuring a competitive workforce begins with our youngest children. In this issue, read about one local company's investment in school readiness, discover why a Nobel Prize-winning economist says early childhood programs yield the greatest return of any human capital investment, and learn that the U.S. Chamber of Commerce made pre-K programs a 2008 policy priority.

Also in this issue are tips you can pass along to employees on finding quality child care.

Lastly, I invite you to join more than 150 business leaders and policy makers in discovering what Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia are doing to promote school readiness in the region. Please be sure to register for Fairfax Futures' School Readiness Leadership Forum on September 15.

I look forward to seeing you there.

Sincerely,
Vera Signature

Vera Steiner Blore
Executive Director
Hot Off the Presses
The Washington Business Journal reports on a new corporate-nonprofit initiative to improve area pre-K programs. With a goal of raising $1 million annually for four years, co-chair Craig Pascal of PNC calls the effort "a preventive, proactive approach" to a better prepared workforce.
Boeing logo Boeing Helps Next Generation Soar
Through a generous grant to Fairfax Futures, Boeing is supporting a mentoring program to help family child care providers work in partnership with parents to build young children's social, emotional and cognitive skills - the skills needed for success in school and in the workforce. The program combines the use of an early childhood education curriculum with mentoring and additional resources to help family child care providers in Fairfax County increase their capacity to support young children's school readiness.
Invest Early and Often for Maximum Results
You've probably heard this strategy before, but did you know it applies to preschool, not just your portfolio? "On productivity grounds, it appears to make sound business sense to invest in young children from disadvantaged environments," according to Nobel Prize-winning economist James Heckman. His work is cited in "New Research: Early Education as an Economic Investment" by the National Conference of State Legislatures. Heckman concludes that such investments "are likely to generate substantial savings to society and to promote higher economic growth by improving the skills of the workforce."
Strong Pre-K Foundation Builds Competitiveness
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce notes that although 90 percent of the fastest-growing jobs in America require at least two years of postsecondary education, one-third of U.S. students do not finish high school. The Chamber has made early childhood programs a 2008 policy priority, saying that early childhood and pre-K activities are the foundation for a competitive workforce.
News Your Employees Can Use
Finding a quality child care program can be a daunting task for families. "Choosing Quality Child Care," available in English and Spanish, points the way with tips on what to look for in a child care setting and checklists to use when interviewing or visiting child care providers.
Issue: 2
Preschool boy

Early Education - A Regional Priority

Fairfax Futures' second annual School Readiness Leadership Forum  focuses on efforts in Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia to support young children's school readiness.

Designed for leaders from business, government and education, the forum takes place on September 15, 8:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m., at Capital One in McLean, Virginia. There is no fee to attend, but pre-registration is required.

Speakers will include Virginia Secretary of Education Thomas Morris, District of Columbia State Superintendent of Education Deborah Gist and Maryland Assistant State Superintendent Rolf Grafwallner as well as keynote luncheon remarks by Libby Doggett, executive director, Pre-K Now.

 David Kirp

The program also will include a conversation with David Kirp, author of "The Sandbox Investment."
 
David Kirp

The School Readiness Leadership Forum is made possible through a generous grant from Capital One, a Principal's Circle sponsor of the School Readiness Network.

All business partners in the School Readiness Network will be recognized in the program; if your company is interested in becoming involved, e-mail Vera Steiner Blore.

Learn about other Fairfax Futures' corporate sponsorship opportunities.
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