Proposed lottery match program is a wise investment

e-mail this story discuss this issue in our forums Guest column • : Thank Reagan for much, including higher standard of living (06/10/04) • John Lumpkin: Road upkeep crucial to our safety on state highways (06/08/04) • Barbara B. League: University Center epitomizes collaboration of agencies (06/07/04) • Edwin Leap: Stay away from snakes and disaster won't strike (06/06/04) • David Wilkins: The state House delivered in 2004, and with dignity (06/06/04) More details Lee Cory is the retired president of BB&T of South Carolina and past chair of the Greenville Chamber of Commerce and the United Way Campaign. He was appointed to the First Steps state board of trustees in 1999 by House Speaker David Wilkins.

The Senate Finance Committee wisely took steps to ensure that our state's future work force will have the necessary tools for success. Its proposal will multiply corporate philanthropic or federal grant dollars, producing an immediate return on investment for our state's youngest learners.

The Senate Finance Committee has set aside $3 million from the $341 million S.C. Education Lottery proceeds to serve as a set-aside incentive for early learning. The state's investment in early education will be matched dollar-for-dollar with private or nonstate funds raised by South Carolina First Steps and its partners.

Statewide match moneys, certified by the state treasurer, will be placed in a pool of new funds enabling First Steps county partnerships to provide additional direct educational readiness services to preschool children across South Carolina. This innovative tool will leverage private and nonstate funds into South Carolina's early education and school readiness strategy.

Investing in our children's future by supporting education is exactly what the South Carolina Education Lottery was established to accomplish. We are excited about the potential to double our resources for early education initiatives that address urgent school readiness priorities.

South Carolina holds great promise as a state focused on true education reform. We are making strides to achieve goals set by the S.C. Education Oversight Committee of moving our students into the top 50 percent of all states nationally, ranked by achievement, in 2010.

The investment in our children's future by the Senate Finance Committee demonstrates their commitment to South Carolina's promise of a quality education for all children. We are pleased that the state recognizes the value in investing in South Carolina's youngest learners. Studies show children starting school behind their "ready" peers lag behind in all educational measures of success. These children have difficulty completing high school and entering the workplace.

Brain research is clear: All children, given proper learning stimulation during the first 33 months of life, can achieve at high levels once they reach school. Children who spend their first three years in verbal, interactive learning environments are thus "hard-wired" for later academic and life success.

The Minneapolis Federal Reserve Bank recently released an economic impact study showing quality early education programs yield a return of $10.66 for every dollar invested. Investment in South Carolina's early education system will ensure expansion of quality services and children arriving at school ready to succeed.

Twenty-two to 40 percent of our state's children are still unable to demonstrate the skills necessary for success in the first grade, and we must continue to focus on the earliest interventions demonstrated to impact school readiness. We applaud the South Carolina Senate Finance Committee's decision to invest in quality early education for our future success.