This is the third in a series of videos showing the impact high-quality early learning has on children, families and child care providers across Minnesota. Check back here for a new video every week in January.

We help parents learn the importance of their role as a child’s first teacher. Parents like Pheng, who is a great mom to begin with, learned a lot in our Parent Empowerment program, particularly that children need to start getting ready to succeed in school long before their fourth birthday. Pheng listened, took action, and is now making a difference in the Hmong community educating other parents on their important roles.

Pheng’s work is not only helping families, but it’s helping our entire state. The cost of children who start kindergarten unprepared to learn to the education system is $850 million/year.

That’s unacceptable. We must do better. Increasing parent involvement and knowledge of their role as a child’s first teacher is an important part of solving this complex issue.