May 29, 2013

My thanks to Ron Haskins, and the Brookings Institution, for hosting this discussion about President Obama’s landmark proposal for high-quality preschool.

And I’m happy to see Congresswoman Nancy Johnson, who’s been a longtime champion for children and a great thought-partner on the President’s proposal.

As you know, the President has proposed a groundbreaking plan for supporting and preparing our nation’s children from birth to age 5 in a seamless continuum.

For children ages zero to three, the President’s proposal includes a new Early Head Start-Child Care partnership at the Department of Health and Human Services to improve quality, and it expands the Administration’s home visiting initiative. Home visiting is showing great results.

As anyone who’s ever had to care for a new baby knows, you need all the help and advice you can get. And that is often especially the case for struggling single parents, first-time parents, and teen parents.

For four-year-olds, the President’s proposal would create a new federal-state partnership to enable states to provide voluntary, universal, high-quality preschool for children from low- and moderate-income families.

These are critical, long-term investments in early learning that our country needs. They are the best, most effective tool we have to close achievement and opportunity gaps.

Source: U.S. Department of Education

Available at: http://www.ed.gov/news/speeches/opening-remarks-us-secretary-education-arne-duncan-panel-obama-preschool-initiative