Parson makes the case for early childhood

Governor Mike Parson kicked off the Missouri Early Childhood Policy Symposium in Jefferson City this week. The National Council of State Legislators and Kids Win Missouri organized the event for legislators and staff. The legislative host committee included Representative Louis Riggs, Representative Brenda Shields, Senator Karla Eslinger, Senator Lauren Arthur, Representative Peter Merideth, and Senator Brian Williams.

In his remarks, Parson said that early childhood is one of his administration’s top priorities and hinted at an exciting announcement coming at the annual State of the State address on Wednesday, January 27, at 3:00 p.m. He told the audience of 60 lawmakers that none of the state’s workforce development programs would be effective unless we start addressing a child’s needs in the first five years. “If you want to change society as a whole, if you really want to do something in your political careers that will be a game-changer, it’s all about early childhood development,” Parson said. 

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