In 2017, Frederick County Supervisor Blaine Dunn said he didn’t think funding pre-kindergarten was a “good use of public money.”’
Study after study has proven the positive short-term and long-term effects of early education and investing in our schools. While the short-term investment may seem costly at first, it’s been proven that when combined with quality subsequent schooling, preschool pays for itself. In fact, we can see up to a $17 return for every dollar invested into pre-school. Among all the monetary returns of pre-school, there are countless other benefits. Frederick wouldn’t pay to have pre-schools; Frederick would get paid to better our community. So much of the initial cost was covered by the Virginia Preschool Initiative-Plus Preschool Grant.
Funding out schools makes our students more productive in school, work, and society overall. These students also have higher levels of education and earnings, are less likely drop out, more likely to go to college, less likely to commit crimes, and even have fewer chronic health problems. But Dunn thinks none of that is “good use of public money.”
So, Mr. Dunn, I must ask, what is a good use of public money? If it’s not a good use to invest in our children, future, infrastructure, taxes, quality of life, overall happiness, prosperity, employment, economy, and more, I can’t imagine what Dunn does think is a good use of this money.
School funding has ripple effects in every single aspect of our community. Funding schools is connected to lower crime rates. Many officials say funds for our justice system are recommended to go to schools because it’s one of the best ways to reduce crime.
Better school funding increases property values. Even people without children want to live in an area with a good school district. Property in areas with well-funded schools have higher value. People are willing to pay more and earn less so they can live in areas with better schools. Better quality schools are directly linked with the economy. Investing in education is investing in our economy, showing improvements in both salaries and the GDP.
These ripples also boost employment as the labor market is connected to education spending. Employment is tied to better school funding. Actually, better school funding is one of the best indicators of future economic growth. Cutting the schools’ budget would dramatically affect our community in every aspect of life. From income to taxes to health to safety to prosperity to community growth to property values and everything else. It’s would all be negatively impacted by this misguided budget cut.
It’s not only unwise to cut this budget, it’s dangerous and unconstitutional. These cuts deny our children the right to the education they are guaranteed under the U.S. Constitution. This school district cannot effectively, or even remotely, serve our community with a budget this low.
Nothing has bigger returns for a community than funding education. In the long run, it doesn’t cost us money to fund our schools, it cost us everything not to.
Danielle Stryker is a resident of Frederick County.
