NoSchoolForSam

Congress: Fund President Obama's proposed investments in early education!

President Obama's budget proposal makes a healthy investment in our nation's young children, providing three and four year olds like Sam with the opportunity to start school ready to thrive and succeed.

But opponents of publicly-funded, voluntary pre-k are on the march – and they're looking to stop this momentum in Washington. They just don't get it: high-quality early education is not just good for children, it's vital for our country's future workforce!

Fill out the form below and tell your Representative how crucial these investments are to every child and family, and ultimately, to our nation's economic health.

Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,

I'm writing to urge you to support the early education funding levels proposed in the president's budget, including $300 million for the Early Learning Challenge Fund and $500 million for Title I Early Childhood Grants.

These proposed investments are essential to helping our nation's youngest learners start school ready to succeed. By supporting them, you are making smart, evidence-based policy founded on solid brain development and economic research. Study after study has shown that quality early education provides lasting benefits for children and yields a return on investment for our community.

The Early Learning Challenge Fund to provide competitive grants to states has been at the center of President Obama's education agenda. There is already momentum in Congress, as pre-k incentive grant legislation has been introduced in both chambers (HR 702, HR 2184, HR 555, S 240 and S 839).

Under the current proposal, $500 million in Title I Early Childhood Grants would encourage districts to invest recovery funds and other local resources in pre-k - giving students in low-income communities a critically-needed foundation for success in school and life.

Governors and legislators in 38 states have increased funds for voluntary early education over recent years because they recognize the facts: * decades of evidence show that quality pre-k helps children succeed in school and yields a substantial return on public investment; * parents of all income levels want and need more quality choices; and * business leaders and economists understand the importance of building human capital starting in the critical early years.

Yet while state-funded pre-k is currently reaching over 1.1 million children, only 24 percent of four year olds and 4 percent of three year olds have access to these programs. As states face record budget shortfalls, your support of the Early Learning Challenge Fund and the Title I Early Childhood Grants is essential. Without such federal investments, millions of children are at risk of starting school behind, and our communities will require much more taxpayer money later for costly special education, juvenile justice, and social services interventions.

It's time to direct public resources to programs and policies that are based on evidence and build our nation's human capital. Please, fully authorize and fund the Early Learning Challenge Fund and the Title I Early Childhood Grants in President Obama's FY10 budget proposal. Doing so will demonstrate the kind of leadership that simultaneously empowers children and families and contributes to our economic health for years to come. Thank you for supporting this crucial funding.

Sincerely,

Campaign Launched:
June 02, 2009