Philanthropist J.B. Pritzker and Nobel Prize-Winning Economist James Heckman Launch Major Early Childhood Initiative

CHICAGO, May 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Philanthropist J.B. Pritzker and University of Chicago Professor and economics Nobel Laureate James Heckman were joined by Illinois First Lady Patti Blagojevich, elected officials, leading researchers and business leaders including Mesirow Financial's Diane Swonk, at the inaugural symposium of the Pritzker Consortium on Early Childhood Development. The morning panel discussion was led by award-winning journalist Bill Kurtis and expanded on the work of Professor Heckman and other consortium members.

Based at the Harris School of Public Policy Studies at the University of Chicago, the Pritzker Consortium brings together the world's top experts to analyze data and make the business case that investing in effective early learning programs improves our economic competitiveness. By increasing the wage-earning potential of tomorrow's workers, early learning programs help reduce crime and other social burdens.

"Our goal is to identify the most important development opportunities for children five years and younger, and to transform the way society and the business community view investments in early childhood education," said J.B. Pritzker, consortium founder. "We owe it to ourselves and our nation to make this a priority now."

To identify the best ways to maximize a young child's potential, the Consortium will compare research conducted by the world's leading experts and provide compelling information to guide policymakers, non-profits and the business community. Once they understand how critical the economic benefit and cost savings are to society, elected officials and the business community are more likely to change the way they look at early education funding.

"We cannot afford to postpone investing in children until they reach school age -- a time when it may be too late to make a meaningful difference," said Professor Heckman. "Policies that seek to remedy deficits incurred in early years are much more costly than early investments wisely made."

With passage of Governor Blagojevich's new preschool program, Illinois is fast becoming a leading U.S. State for early education and care. In addressing the Consortium on the new Illinois program, Illinois First Lady Patti Blagojevich said, "We know that investments in early childhood education make a real difference in children's lives. Children who go to preschool are 30% more likely to graduate from high school and 41% less likely to need special education.

"This is why I'm so proud that Illinois is now the only state in the nation to offer preschool to every three and four year old child. And it's also why J.B. Pritzker, Professor Heckman and the work of this consortium, are so important."

The late Irving B. Harris funded the earliest work in the field. It is for him that the Harris School of Public Policy was named and therefore highly appropriate that the Pritzker Consortium will be based there. With the next generation of data, Professor Heckman and the Consortium members can build upon the pioneering Harris-funded work and give policymakers a better foundation for crafting innovative public policy solutions.

"The Pritzker Consortium furthers Irving Harris' notable contributions to the field and advances the premise on which the Harris School was founded, which is solving real world problems through our academic traditions," said Susan Mayer, Dean of the Harris School of Public Policy Studies at the University of Chicago.

About the Pritzker Consortium on Early Childhood Development

The Pritzker Consortium on Early Childhood Development brings together the world's leading experts to identify the best ways to invest in the children five and under to realize the largest potential gain to society. Based at the Irving B. Harris School of Public Policy Studies at the University of Chicago, the Consortium rigorously compares data from studies across the globe. It then leverages the data to provide policymakers, non-profits, and the business community with better research on the importance of early childhood programs. To learn more, visit http://www.pritzkerconsortium.org/ .