A signature recommendation of the Maryland Kirwan Commission includes increasing full-day pre-K across the state. The Commission’s total price tag reaches a staggering $32 billion over the next decade.
Kirwan’s interim report claims: “Research shows that investing in the early childhood learning and development of disadvantaged children yields a high return to society, offsetting taxpayer costs for poor health, dropout rates, poverty, and crime. Other benefits include reductions in special education costs, grade retention rates, teacher turnover, and absenteeism costs, and costs for tutoring and other supports.”[i] <more>