In an effort to win over skeptical policymakers, leaders from various sectors including business, philanthropy, and politics gathered this week to reinforce the message that investing in early childhood education will improve high school graduation rates and contribute to the economic strength of the United States.

Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer, one of the three governors who spoke at the Telluride event, emphasized the need to compete not only with other states like Colorado but also with countries like China. He challenged educators to prepare students to become the next generation of engineers.

However, participants discovered that they face significant challenges in convincing more business leaders to support the expansion of strong preschool programs, especially for children at high risk of academic or social problems. Phyllis Eisen, a senior vice president of the Manufacturing Institute of the National Association of Manufacturers, noted that early childhood education is not a top priority in business meetings, as it is not a concern for stockholders.

The three-day Economic Summit on Early Childhood Investment was described as a "Davos forum on building human capital" through investment in early childhood education. Organizers compared the event to the renowned gathering of economic and government leaders held in Davos, Switzerland. The list of participants was considered to be a highly influential group of experts in the field of preschool and services for children from disadvantaged families. The event was sponsored by the Partnership for America’s Economic Success, a consortium of business leaders, economists, and philanthropists, along with the Telluride Foundation.

The choice of Colorado as the location for the conference was significant because Denver is implementing a tax-funded initiative to expand access to preschool. Lt. Gov. Barbara O’Brien announced that by January, every family in Denver will have access to universal preschool on a sliding scale. Colorado Governor Bill Ritter Jr. highlighted the success of Colorado’s preschool program, stating that at-risk preschoolers who have attended the program have a higher high school graduation rate compared to the typical Colorado student. He acknowledged, however, that the program is still not fully funded.

Arthur J. Rolnick, a senior vice president at the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis and a strong advocate for early childhood education, shared details about a new business-financed scholarship and mentoring program in a disadvantaged area of St. Paul. This program aims to incentivize parents to enroll their children in high-quality preschool programs. Rolnick believes that the market will respond by establishing more programs in the targeted area.

During the summit, participants also worked on developing a set of "Telluride principles" to guide their future work. Additionally, plans are in place to make this an annual meeting, similar to other resort towns like Aspen, Colorado, and Jackson Hole, Wyoming, which have become renowned gathering places for influential leaders.

Governor Ritter acknowledged that budget concerns and the belief that preschool education and child care are the responsibility of parents hinder progress in some states. However, Governor Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas argued that the sentiment in her state is changing, as a recent study revealed that half of all 5-year-olds in Kansas were not prepared for kindergarten. She emphasized the need for political will to address this issue, asserting that money spent on K-12 education is wasted if children are not adequately prepared in the early years.

Some participants at the conference expressed difficulties in conveying the message that preschool education has long-term benefits. Paul Hirschbiel, chairman of the Virginia Early Childhood Foundation and an investment consultant, suggested that the public and lawmakers might be growing weary of hearing about the findings from the High/Scope Perry Preschool Study. This study, which originated in Michigan in the 1960s, has been widely used to advocate for the expansion of preschool programs, as it demonstrates a correlation between participation in preschool and lower rates of crime and higher educational achievement later in life. Hirschbiel stated that with the existing data, it is starting to feel insufficient to convince skeptics.

"We are currently facing an urgent requirement for additional staff," he stated.