Gov. Tom Vilsack apologized at a conference of early childhood educators Tuesday for “extraordinarily limited public support” for education in Iowa and promised to work harder to remedy the situation.

Vilsack said he’s committed to bettering the condition of young children in Iowa because he never had the opportunity to experience a traditional childhood. He told the audience of his past as the adopted son of a mentally ill mother and a father preoccupied with keeping a small business afloat.

Vilsack said as a child he was “threatened on a daily basis with physical injury.” Because of his early experiences, Vilsack said he didn’t have a childhood.

Vilsack said although Iowa ranks high among the states in quality of education, he recently compiled statistics that indicate he needs to commit himself to Iowa’s children.

Vilsack said almost 80,000 children under the age of six live in poverty, and 40 percent of families eligible for food stamps don’t have access to them. In addition, he said anywhere from 9,300 to 20,000 children are homeless. Vilsack said he was unaware of these statistics until recently.

“I didn’t know the conditions of Iowa’s children,” Vilsack said.

Despite these statistics, Iowa has cut funding for education. Vilsack said recent cuts in education spending total $19 million. In addition, nearly $1 billion of revenues are no longer being collected for education.

Vilsack said only Mississippi, Louisiana, Hawaii and Florida join Iowa as states that reduced revenues for nine consecutive years.

Vilsack emphasized the importance of investing in children to Iowa’s economic growth. He said the first five years of life are especially crucial to the development of children’s brain capacities, determining whether productive citizens are formed. Vilsack added that Iowans have a “moral responsibility” to provide a better life for Iowa’s children.

“This isn’t just about money,” Vilsack said.

He said in order to begin to remedy the situation of children in Iowa, he needs the “forceful advocacy” of citizens. He encouraged early childhood educators to write letters to the editor and speak to legislators about passing legislation to aid children.

Nancy Beenblossom, an employee of Lutheran Social Services in Iowa, said Vilsack’s speech was “amazing.”

Beenblossom said she has been affected by the cuts to early childhood education Vilsack referred to in his speech.

She said a part-time employee position at Lutheran Social Services in Iowa may need to be eliminated. Beenblossom said the elimination of this position would leave about 25 to 30 children without aid.

“We get by on a shoestring budget,” Beenblossom said.