EARLY CHILDHOODEDUCATION

OVERVIEW

Decades of research is clear: children learn from their first days. The amount, type, quality and consistency of a child’s early learning experiences dramatically impact and influence a child’s potential for future academic success and social-emotional well-being.

Tulsa, like most communities, does not offer enough high-quality early education for the number of low-income children who need it. GKFF® supports 16 high-quality early learning centers in Tulsa, serving approximately 2,000 children in year-round education and care, as well as a range of other home-based and community-based programs.

The human brain has a remarkable capacity for change, but timing is crucial. From birth to three, there exists a critical and specific window of opportunity during which a child is most receptive to learning. In fact, a majority of a child’s brain formation occurs by age three, yet less than four percent of public expenditure for education is allocated to that time period.

Access to high-quality, comprehensive early childhood opportunities for at‐risk children, starting at birth, can help improve their long‐term student proficiency in reading and math. These early education opportunities help build the foundation for low-income children to perform as well as their peers when they enter kindergarten.