Chairman Ben S. Bernanke

At the Children’s Defense Fund National Conference, Cincinnati, Ohio (via pre-recorded video)

July 24, 2012

Early Childhood Education

Thank you very much for the opportunity to address you today. I’m especially pleased as an economist and policymaker to discuss the importance of education to the success of our economy. At the Federal Reserve we spend a lot of time looking at economic data, such as production and employment. In doing so, we try never to forget that these seemingly sterile numbers are, in fact, reflections of the economic aspirations, opportunities, and well-being of millions of Americans. When individuals are denied opportunities to reach their maximum potential, it harms not only those individuals, of course, but also the larger economy, which depends vitally on having a skilled, productive workforce. As a result, we all have a stake in the essential work that you are doing for our children.

Please click on the link below for speech in full:

http://www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/speech/bernanke20120724a.pdf