Representative Chris Tuck

Representative
Chris Tuck

I’m Here for You

I want to hear from you,
share your thoughts, voice
your opinion. Together we
will make a difference.

July 2, 2015

Protecting Parents as Teachers

Dear Neighbors,

Throughout the recent lengthy series of special sessions, a major sticking point for the House Independent Democratic Coalition was to negotiate a compassionate deal which would cut the budget but would also prioritize children, poor seniors, and hardworking Alaskans over corporate welfare for wealthy multinational corporations.

In the spirit of these principles, I am particularly proud that we were able to negotiate $700,000 to keep the Parents as Teachers program alive. Parents as Teachers is voluntary, and is the most cost-effective early education program available that serves families with young children.

Above: the Parents as Teachers program at work in Kwethluk, Alaska.

A parent is a child’s first and most important teacher. This program is designed to provide parents with information and assistance to enhance their children’s intellectual, language, social, and physical development from birth to age five.

Research suggests that from birth to 3 years of age and especially during the first 6 months of life, the brain goes through the most critical stage of development.

Studies show that by age three, children have learned 75 percent of all the language skills they will have as adults. In the first few years, children learn more and at a much faster pace than any other time in life. This is the perfect time to introduce a second language.

The program is cost effective in part because it requires little infrastructure. Parents are visited by certified parent educators trained to provide information on brain development and ways in which they can assist their children in reaching their full potential.

Parent educators provide information on each stage of development and fun activities to capture teachable moments in everyday life to enhance children’s language development, intellectual growth, social development and motor skills.

Parents as Teachers Goals:

•  Increase parent knowledge of early childhood development and improve parenting involvement
•  Provide early detection of developmental delays and health issues
•  Prevent childhood abuse and neglect
•  Increase children’s school readiness and school success

Services Provided:

•  Personal Visits
•  Parent Group Meetings
•  Screenings
•  Resource Referrals

Parents as Teachers has proven to be extremely valuable to our military families. Because parents meet once a month with other parents, it provides support networks necessary for dealing with deployment, frequent moves, and other stresses unique to military families.

Deployments take a toll on families, especially those with young children. Behavior is a key communicator for very young children, so being prepared for potential behavioral changes and having places to turn to and ideas to try with the youngest members of military families is crucial to dealing with separation that is part of many terms of service for our military.

Parents as Teachers also delivers cost effective services to 17 rural communities, many of which may not have the infrastructure to provide early childhood education in other forms. Certified parent educators do not require any specific facilities to do their work and can meet with parents in their home or any other location which is convenient.

By providing support at the earliest stages of development, Patents as Teachers actually saves the state and school districts money in the long run by reducing the need for costly remedial education at a later date. The rate of return on early childhood education is matched by few other investments.

To learn more about the Parents as Teachers in Alaska, please go to the following link:

http://kcialaska.org/wp-content/uploads/PAT-brochure.pdf

As always, I’m here for you, so please keep in touch on matters important to you and your family!

Warm regards,

      Chris Tuck
      Alaska State Representative
      District 23 - Anchorage

If you do not wish to receive future emails from Rep. Tuck, click here.