Onondaga County Law Enforcement Leaders Urge School Officials to Apply for Millions Available for Pre-K Programs That Are Proven to Prevent Future Crime and Save Taxpayers Money
Aug 22nd 2007
Syracuse, Aug. 22- Dryden Police Chief Margaret Ryan, Camillus Police Chief Thomas Winn and Onondaga County Senior Assistant District Attorney Robert Duncanson visited a pre-kindergarten program at Salvation Army in Syracuse today to urge school officials to apply for pre-Kindergarten grants before the application deadline passes. While there, the law enforcement leaders sat down with a class of pre- kindergarten age child and read them the story, "Officer Buckle and Gloria."
Chief Ryan and Winn are members of FIGHT CRIME: INVEST IN KIDS NEW YORK, a bipartisan anti-crime organization of 300-plus police chiefs, sheriffs, district attorneys, other law enforcement leaders and violence survivors. It is part of a national organization of more than 3,000 law enforcement members. Meredith Wiley, state director of FIGHT CRIME: INVEST IN KIDS NEW YORK, joined the members during their visit.
Ryan, Winn and Duncanson said high quality pre-kindergarten not only prepares children to succeed in school, it also prevents crime, saves New York state residents taxpayers money and is good for the economy.
Governor Spitzer and the Legislature added a total of $146 million for preschool in this year's budget in the first year of an intended multi-year expansion. Spitzer has made providing preschool to all four-year-olds within four years a priority. The money has already been allocated on a district-by district basis, but each school district must apply for the funds. Winn, Ryan and Duncanson urged each school district to apply for the new money that has been allocated on a district-by-district basis for this year.
Ryan said a long-term study of the High/Scope Perry Preschool in Michigan found that at-risk kids excluded from the program were five times more likely to grow up to become chronic lawbreakers than those who attended the program.
By age 40, those left out of the Perry Preschool Program were twice as likely to have been arrested for violent crimes, four times more likely to have been arrested for drug felonies, and seven times more likely to have been arrested for possession of drugs than those who attended the program.
"The early years are powerful learning years," Ryan said. "Children who learn how to learn are more likely to stay out of trouble and reach their full potential in school and in life."
Winn said although the money has been specifically allocated to several school districts in the Albany area, the funds would go to waste unless the districts apply for them and that law enforcement officials are willing to work with school officials to help eligible school districts take full advantage of the funds.
"The Governor and Legislature couldn't have made a wiser investment that increasing the funding for Pre-K," Winn said. "It's up to us now to roll up our sleeves and do whatever it takes to make sure that the four-year-olds in our communities this year don't get left out. It's a lot to ask of ourselves but we can't afford not to do it."
Duncanson said he found the situation ironic, since for years, law enforcement leaders have fought to prevent budget cuts to pre-K and begged for increased funding and now that there is new money for pre-K programs, there is a danger school officials won't apply for it.
According to FIGHT CRIME: INVEST IN KIDS NEW YORK State Director, Meredith Wiley, " several school districts in Onondaga County have yet to apply for pre-k funds that have already been allocated, leaving nearly $2.5 million on the table that could otherwise help get hundreds of kids on track for school success and help prevent crime in the along run."
"When kids miss out on pre-school, all New Yorkers miss out," Duncanson said. "Preschool builds on what parents teach their children., learning letters and numbers and how to get along with other children-the building blocks to grow up to become responsible adults and good citizens. When you add it all up, there isn't a better investment we can make."
FIGHT CRIME: INVEST IN KIDS NEW YORK has more than 300 police chiefs, sheriffs, district attorneys, other law enforcement leaders, and violence survivors as members. It is part of the national FIGHT CRIME: INVEST IN KIDS organization of more than 3,000 law enforcement members.
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