- The President’s plan calls for significant new investments in early learning. It will:
- Expand high-quality prekindergarten to all four-year-olds, starting with children from low-and moderate-income families, through state-federal partnerships.
- Expand high-quality early learning opportunities for children from birth through age three by increasing investments in Early Head Start and child care programs that meet high standards.
- Expand voluntary home visiting programs that support parents with young children.
- The research is clear – the first years of a child’s life are critical for their development. Children who have a high-quality prekindergarten experience are more likely to do well in school and find better jobs. They are also less likely to commit crimes or need public assistance later in life.
- The earliest years of life lay the foundation for children’s learning and growth. Yet affordable, high-quality infant care is hard to find—or non-existent—in many communities across the country.
- Too many children are left behind before they even start kindergarten. Without the chance for a high-quality early education experience, hundreds of thousands of children come to kindergarten behind their peers.
- All parents deserve the chance to send their children to a high-quality prekindergarten program.
- Parents should have access to high-quality prekindergarten for their children no matter the size of their paychecks.
- The earlier that education starts, the greater the gains. But most working parents can’t afford high-quality prekindergarten for their children. Fewer than three in ten four-year-olds are currently enrolled in high-quality prekindergarten.
- Making sure children get a high-quality prekindergarten experience is a smart investment that pays off for all of us. That’s why Republican and Democratic governors around the country are making early childhood a priority in their states. It’s time to make high-quality prekindergarten for every child a national priority.
- This idea is hugely popular. Over two-thirds (69%) of Americans support government funding to establish federal and state programs making high-quality prekindergarten available to every child in America. High-quality prekindergarten education is one of the best investments we can make in their future and ours as a country.
