Committee on Education and the Workforce

Education Issues

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Early Childhood Education

High-quality early education is one of the most important opportunities we can give our children. A solid early learning foundation helps children succeed later in school, helps America compete in a global market and gives all Americans an equal opportunity to succeed in life.

Today, 70 percent of families with children include two working parents or one unmarried working parent. Working parents need access to good early education and child care for their children to help prepare them for school.

Head Start

Head Start is our country’s premiere early education program, and its goal is to help children from very low-income families reach kindergarten ready to succeed. Head Start is a critical part of this country’s effort to combat the effects of poverty and ensure all of our children have the opportunity and skills they need to thrive. Unfortunately, because of an inadequate federal commitment, Head Start only serves about 50 percent of eligible preschoolers, while Early Head Start only serves about 3 percent of eligible infants and toddlers. Despite the great need for increased funding for the Head Start program, President Bush’s 2007 budget proposal actually freezes this funding.(more)

Strengthen Our Schools

High-quality pre-kindergarten helps children succeed in school and in life. The Strengthen Our Schools Initiative helps states establish, expand or enhance high-quality voluntary state pre-k systems so that all children can enter school ready to succeed. (more)

Better Training and Pay = Quality Child Care

Studies have repeatedly shown that one of the leading reasons for poor-quality child care is low pay and high turnover among child care staff, who on average make just a little more than $17,000 annually. (more)