Kansas City-area business leaders focus on early childhood education

KANSAS CITY, Kan. - Funding for programs that ensure good, quality education - even at the pre-kindergarten level - has recently been the targets of state financial cuts. A group of area business leaders are hoping to convince lawmakers more money is needed instead.

Jonathan Freiden is the CEO of U.S. Toy/Constructive Playthings and a co-founder of the new nonprofit organization Alliance for Childhood Education, or ACE.

"You have to start early," Freiden said. "You have to educate and start with those building blocks early on."

ACE is made up of Kansas City-area business leaders who want others in the business community to push lawmakers to invest in early-childhood education. That’s because children who fall behind early often can't catch up in the classroom. And without success in school, children won’t succeed in the workforce.

Tyler Nottberg, CEO of U.S. Engineering Company is also a co-founder along with David Oliver, a partner at the law firm Berkowitz Oliver.

"Education… high quality education and access to high quality education is in fact an economic development issue," Nottberg said.

"So many people talk about fourth grade reading and eighth grade testing scores. But if we don't have a strong foundation you can't get there," said Freiden.

ACE is pushing for more funding for programs such as Kansas Early Head Start, Parents as Teachers and the Kansas Preschool Program.

“We need to be investing as early as we can so that kids can get on the road to an education, to college and to jobs in our community," Oliver said.

ACE has set up a website at www.aceinvests.org .