Posted by: thepinetree on 05/13/2014 06:09 PM
Updated by: thepinetree on 05/13/2014 06:10 PM
Expires: 01/01/2019 12:00 AM
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Governor Brown Fails to Include New Money for Early Childhood Education
Sacramento, CA...California Fair Share today expressed disappointment with Gov. Brown’s decision to include no new funding for early childhood education in his revised budget proposal and pledged to keep organizing educators, parents and others until he changes his mind. “Everyone in California should get a fair shot in life and it starts with a quality education,” said Jason Pfeifle, State Director for California Fair Share. “States from Oklahoma to Massachusetts are crossing ideological boundaries to embrace high-quality, affordable, early childhood education programs and California should follow.”...
Pfeifle noted that only about half of 3- and 4-year-olds in California are enrolled in high-quality education and prior budget cuts have resulted in 110,000 fewer slots in the state’s early learning and care system. But with a projected increase of $2.4 billion in state revenue, enough money exists to restore previous cuts and expand access to early learning. California Fair Share is organizing across the state to marshal public support for pre-K, targeting educators, gathering petition signatures, and attending rallies and forums.
“California legislators should fix Governor Brown’s mistake and increase investment in high-quality, early childhood education,” Pfeifle said.
Pfeifle noted that momentum is building across the country for expanding early childhood education. On Wednesday, the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) is expected to consider, for the first time ever, the Strong Start for America’s Children Act, a measure that would greatly expand access to early learning through a state-federal partnership.
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