After four decades of research into early childhood investments, the cost-benefit relationship has come into clearer focus – in the immediate and the long-term. Yet, tough economic times challenge business and government leaders to rethink public policy, and not only alter the ways in which we deliver public services, but to creatively build capacity for future successes.

Grounded in that interest , the Vermont Business Roundtable supports the Telluride Principles, which include:

Human Capital – To achieve growth and fiscal sustainability, government should place its greatest emphasis on strenghening the skills and capacities of every Vermonter.

Young Children – In developing human capital, Vermont should focus especially on children, from birth to five years of age, and their families.

Evaluation – Return on investment should be a key consideration in public resource allocation decisions.

Transparency – Government should enable citizens to understand and participate in the assessment of all revenue and spending decisions.

Sustainability – State and federal budgets should be viable over the long term.

The Vermont Business Roundtable proudly supports investments in high-quality early learning to ensure all children in Vermont arrive at school “ready to learn.”

With grant support awarded by ReadyNation and Pre-K Now, the Vermont Business Roundtable and Pre-K VT have taken the lead  to seek a policy change with the pre-k enrollment cap. This past legislative session we were successful in achieving a lift on the caps in the Vermont towns of identified under-performing schools. We are pleased to report these towns will now be able to serve children to the limit of their local capacities. Early childhood investments will continue to be a focal issue for the Vermont Business Roundtable in our quest to gain universal access to pre-k for all Vermont children.

To view our Education Vision for Vermont, click here.

Below are numerous links to compelling research studies on:

*  The Cost-Benefit Relationship of Early Childhood Program Investments –
    Rand Study, Click Here.

*  The Lifelong Positive Effects of Early Education –
The Abecedarian Study – Click Here.
The Chicago Longitudinal Study – Click Here.
 The Highscope Perry Preschool Study – Click Here.

*  Important Brain Research Studies –
Harvard’s Center on the Developing Child – Click Here.
Heckman and University of Chicago Study – Click Here.

*  Research on the Value of High Quality Programs in Creating Lifelong Benefits –
Meta-analysis on Teacher Quality Studies, Click Here.