When the Illinois State Board of Education released Kindergarten Individual Development Survey (KIDS) data on August 13 showing 76 percent of Illinois kindergartners are not ready to start school, one expert was a consistent presence in media discussions on the findings. Erikson Institute President and CEO Geoffrey A. Nagle, PhD, was quoted or interviewed by several outlets. Dr. Nagle’s message was that school readiness starts at birth. Illinois needs a system of supports for families, such as paid parental leave, that lays a foundation for school success long before children start kindergarten.
One of the first outlets to spotlight Dr. Nagle was Crain’s Chicago Business. Dr. Nagle’s opinion column was featured on the publication’s website. In the column, Dr. Nagle explained that the data revealed a problem with infant and early child development, not with our educational system: “This crisis must be addressed throughout the first five years of life, when the gaps in school success actually emerge, through a system of support for infant and child development that starts well before preschool.” Read the full column here.
Dr. Nagle also was featured in the following stories:
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