Local city and business leaders heard some sobering statistics Wednesday about how other nations are passing the United States by; however, more investment in early childhood education is the nation’s key to becoming an intellectual global leader.

Bill Millett, a consultant with Scope View Strategic Advantage of North Carolina, was in Enid Wednesday leading a forum on economic development and the role early childhood education plays in work force development. Greater Enid Chamber of Commerce has identified work force development as a key strategy to economic growth in Enid.

Millett’s message was clear. Other countries are quickly surpassing the United States in building their “knowledge infrastructure.” And, the United States can only hope to catch up by focusing on providing young children opportunities to start gaining knowledge at a very early level.

“Fifty years ago, we were a cocky lot (in the United States).” Millett told the group of about 75 business professionals. He talked about how that all changed in 1957 when the Soviet Union started winning the space race.

National and military leaders understood that by the Soviets launching the first satellite into orbit, and then beating the United States in putting a man in orbit, the U.S. was at risk in the area of national defense.

The consequences are not much different today, Millett said. The United States’ complacency in building its knowledge infrastructure has put the country at economic and security risk, he said.

“America is under assault again,” he said, and the country and our government continues to be complacent about it.

Millett said the United States has fallen dramatically in its rankings for college graduates, going from the No. 1. nation to No. 8.

Developing nations such as China and India have sheer numbers on their side. Those two nations have as many college-educated young adults as the United States has students.

“No longer do we have the best educated work force in the world,” Millett said. “We don’t have any students to waste.”

He commended Enid for its passage of a $99.5 million bond issue last week as a “heck of a statement” that “Enid gets it.”

He also commended Enid’s Smart Start program through Community Development Support Association, and he pointed out Oklahoma has a strong ranking in early childhood education. He complimented the partnership between The Methodist Commons home and Enid Public Schools in working together to add 4-year-old programs at the facility. The program includes residents of the home helping with the program and providing interaction with the young students.

These factors are key in creating long-term economic viability, he said. Students today will be competing globally, not locally or regionally or even nationally.

“Enid kids will be competing with kids growing up on six different continents” for jobs in the future, he said. “Right now, we’re outnumbered and out-taught.”

He said the future work force will have to have creative and collaborative skills. They will need to be able to innovate. He also said they will need more training in math and science.

“The charge is not to teach kids particular skills, but to teach them particular ways of thinking,” he said.

Funding of early childhood education programs needs to be a priority of local and state coalitions, he said.

What is the economic payoff of providing quality early childhood education?

A good early childhood education start leads to more success in elementary, secondary and post-secondary schools. These students have a better shot at higher-paying jobs.

“We create tax generators versus tax consumers,” he said.