Sowing the Seeds for Economic Growth in Oklahoma: Early Childhood Education and Its Tie to Workforce Development

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Research shows that the first five years of life is the most crucial time in the development of a child's brain. Whether foundations for many life skills are established at this time could pave the road to success - or failure.

Early childhood is a critical period of physical, language and cognitive development. It is also a time when children learn to regulate their behaviors, socialize with their peers and form attachments, said Debra Andersen, executive director for Smart Start Oklahoma, a statewide early childhood initiative.

Some of the skills employers find difficult to find while hiring are ones that develop in the first five years of life, according to an …