House Education Committee Passes Legislation to Improve Quality of State Pre-School Programs

Thursday, June 26, 2008

WASHINGTON, DC -- The House Education and Labor Committee today approved legislation to improve the quality of state pre-school programs, which collectively serve over 1 million young children.

The Committee passed the legislation, the Providing Resources Early for Kids Act (H.R. 3289), by a vote of 31 to 11.

“We have a strong moral obligation to make sure that all children in America have the support they need to thrive. We also know that supporting children, particularly in their youngest years, is the smart thing to do for our country and our economy,” said U.S. Rep. George Miller, chairman of the Committee. “A dollar spent on a child’s future is a dollar invested, because fully nurturing, educating, and supporting young children reaps dramatic benefits as they grow up.”

“Children’s brains develop more quickly during their pre-kindergarten years than at any other time,” said U.S. Rep. Dale E. Kildee (D-MI), chairman of the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education. “This bill will provide quality early learning experiences for children around the country, and help them, their families, and our country prosper.”

“We know preschool works. Youth who have access to high quality early education are more likely to graduate from high school, enroll in college, and find gainful employment,” said U.S. Rep. Mazie Hirono (D-HI), the author of the legislation. “They are less likely to be involved in the criminal justice system or rely on public assistance as adults.”

Research increasingly demonstrates that the first years of children’s lives have a much greater and more lasting impact on their future growth and learning than was previously understood. New research shows that early childhood experiences influence the very architecture and chemistry of a developing brain.  

H.R. 3289 establishes a federal-state partnership to expand high-quality early childhood educational opportunities to more children. It provides incentives to states to ensure that their pre-k programs meet children’s developmental and educational needs.  

Under the bill, states receive federal funding that they could use for a variety of program improvement purposes, including: increasing the number of early childhood educators with bachelor’s degrees; reducing student-teacher ratios; implementing research-based curricula; and providing vital comprehensive services such as health screenings and nutritional assistance.

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