A Quality Pre-school education is important for America's children

Domestic Policy Council Director Cecilia Muñoz and Special Assistant to the President for Education Policy Roberto Rodriguez held Thursday afternoon, an on-the-record conference call to discuss the President’s proposal to ensure a quality preschool education for every child, as unveiled in his State of the Union Address.
Keeping the middle class in focus, the president is shining a light on the importance of a quality pre-school education. According to Munoz and Rodriguez only three of 10 children four years of age attend pre-school or an early learning program across the states. Pre-school is cost-prohibitive for families who are not at or beneath the poverty line, as the president pointed out. The goal of this new plan is to get every four year old in the nation into pre-school and early learning no matter the income. Currently the U.S. ranks 28th of 38 nations who sponsor a pre-school curriculum program.
How it will work
States will receive federal dollars as an incentive to fully engage infants and toddlers through an early learning component and pre-school component. The expanded educational plan differs from the current pre-school  plan in that moderate and middle income parents will have access and not just families who fall below the poverty line like with Head Start. The plan includes a voluntary home visiting component and state level standards and assessments to make sure the program is working. Also required is a development of criteria  for pre-school teachers, guidelines to create small teacher/student ratios and guidelines to keep classes small.
The state/federal partnership should find more pre-schools and early learning centers opening up in communities across the nation, thus making the programs even more accessible.
An exact budget itemizing program costs will be released with the federal budget. The early learning/pre-school program is not expected to add to the federal deficit.
On the stump
 Pres. Obama Thursday highlighted features of how the pre-school program will work while speaking at the City of Decatur Recreation Center in Decatur, Georgia.
Mr. Obama  told the audience that children absorb more knowledge during the pre-school ages and having highly educated pre-school teachers help. The president pointed out that disabled kids and kids from a variety of incomes are schooled together within the Decatur pre-school program further closing the achievement gap.
He said that closing the achievement gap starts early, which is why pre-school accessibility is important.
The president also said putting money into children now can save money down the road.
"This is not babysitting, this is teaching." he said.
Mr. Obama also said that a quality pre-school education makes a better citizen.

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