May 17, 2008
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Early Education


Early Education

The two main areas for federal advocacy on early education are:

  • Head Start - This program provides educational and other comprehensive support services to approximately 1 million disadvantaged children.
  • Voluntary Pre-kindergarten - Publicly funded, high quality preschool programs for all three- and four-year olds.

Why Is This Important To Your School District?

Publicly funded preschool programs can raise student achievement by providing a solid foundation on which children can build.  Numerous studies have shown that programs which provide children developmentally appropriate stimulation in their early years can help to close some of the achievement gaps that exist among children even before they enter school.  Research has also documented that children who participate in high-quality preschool programs demonstrate greater interest in learning, are less likely to repeat a grade of require special education classes, and are more likely to graduate from high school and attend college.

What to Tell Congress:  NSBA's Position

NSBA urges policymakers increase funding for the newly reauthorized Head Start program, which currently serves over 900,000 low-income children and their families through a network of 1,600 public and private agencies. In addition, NSBA urges Congress to create a new federal grant program to help support high quality preschool programs for all children whose families wish them to attend.

What's Happening Now in Congress?

In November, Congress overwhelmingly approved final passage of the Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act of 2007 by a vote of 95-0 in the Senate and 381-36 in the House. President Bush signed the bill into law on December 12, 2007.

The new law incorporates many of the elements that NSBA lobbied for, including:

  • Updated educational standards to promote the development of language and literacy, math, science, and other cognitive skills.
  • Enhanced coordination between programs and schools, shared teacher training, and the alignment of curriculum to state early learning standards and kindergarten skills.
  • New flexibility to serve additional low income children and families (up to 130% of federal poverty; $26,800 for a family of four).
  • Increased funding: authorizes total funding of $7.35 billion for fiscal year 2008, $7.65 billion for fiscal year 2009, and $7.99 billion for fiscal year 2010.
  • New goals that all Head Start teachers have an associate’s degree and half of all teachers nationwide have a bachelor’s degree by 2013.

In January, the House Education and Labor Committee held a hearing on investing in early education at which a number of witnesses testified as to the importance of federal funding for high quality preschool programs. Pre-k education is also being discussed within the broader context of No Child Left Behind reauthorization.

Contact Us

If you are a school board member or state school boards association staff member, please contact Kathleen Branch, NSBA's Manager of Federal Advocacy Programs at kbranch@nsba.org.

If you are a Congressional staff member or a member of the media, please contact Chrisanne Gayl, NSBA's Director of Federal Programs at 703-838-6763 or by e-mail at cgayl@nsba.org.

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We want to hear from you!  Send an e-mail to Kathleen Branch, NSBA's Manager of Federal Advocacy Programs at kbranch@nsba.org.


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