FLINT, Michigan -- Genesee County schools welcomed Rob Grunewald, an economist with the Federal Reserve Bank in Minneapolis, on Tuesday as he introduced an early childhood educational program that may increase economic development in the area.

Grunewald proposed starting education as early as 1 year old to curb high school dropout rates and solve many of the economic problems the county is facing.

"The next dollar invested in early childhood education will yield the highest return," Grunewald said, during a presentation with the Genesee County Great Start Collaborative.

"The brain needs stimulation from the environment. It's the only organ not fully formed at birth."

Grunewald said about 85 percent of the brain is formed by age 3 or 4, and that development can be a make-or-break factor in children's futures.

In St. Paul, Minn., an early childhood pilot program provides scholarships to about 1,200 children for a program that educates 3-year-olds and parent mentoring for 1-year-olds.

The program costs about $15 million through endowment funds.

A similar program in Genesee County is in the early stages with no definitive plans on costs, implementation or a start date.

"It's a slow process because it's a huge project," said Beth Hackett, coordinator for the Genesee County Great Start Collaborative. "We are working on (identifying) our early childhood problems. The financial piece is that, once we show what the educational gaps are, we can identify where to bring in resources."

A report on early childhood educational gaps in the county won't be ready until September, Hackett said.

The county has about 6,000 youngsters under the age of 5, and about 30 percent of those children are living in poverty, Hackett said.

Grunewald said the program identifies at-risk children who grow up in poverty or low-income households because their success brings in higher rates of return by preventing high school dropouts, higher tax revenues through successful employment and fewer incarcerations.

"Areas growing economically are growing because of a ready work force for information and technology jobs," Hackett said.

"We have a population we would like to get into these jobs, and the key is educational programs."

The Great Start Collaborative has been studying the effects of early childhood development on children up to age 5 through the Genesee Intermediate School District and has been working with social workers, parents, business leaders and municipalities to improve child care and education in the county.

Source: mlive.com