Congresswoman Hirono Co-Sponsors Bold Initiatives to Boost Quality Early Education
Washington,
Jul 15, 2009 -
Congresswoman Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawai‘i) today announced the introduction of the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2009, H.R. 3221, in the House Education and Labor Committee. Congresswoman Hirono is an original co-sponsor of the comprehensive bill that, among other priorities, focuses on providing quality early education by strengthening partnerships between states and the federal government to improve state-funded preschool programs serving young children from birth through five years of age.
H.R. 3221 accomplishes this by establishing the Early Learning Challenge Fund, which provides $1 billion a year in competitive federal incentive grants to states over the next decade to help states fortify their early learning programs. This bill has language and provisions similar to the PRE-K Act (H.R. 702), first introduced by Hirono in 2007 and again earlier this year.
“It is gratifying to see that the Early Learning Challenge Fund has been included in this bill,” said Hirono, a member of the House Education and Labor Committee. “President Obama recognizes that quality early education builds the necessary foundation to academic success. Study after study indicate children who have access to quality early education are better prepared to succeed in school and in life – every child deserves this opportunity.”
Grant money may be used to provide professional development for early educators, improve student-teacher ratios in all early learning settings, or improve the tools used to evaluate and report on the success of programs. Grant applications will be evaluated based on how well states work to improve the quality of their early education programs, increase access to high quality programs to low-income children, and provide information to parents about early learning programs in their communities for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers.
“Congresswoman Hirono has long been an advocate for expanding quality early learning opportunities for American families,” said Congressman George Miller (D-California), chair of the House Education and Labor Committee. “President Obama understands the value of making early education a priority and the legislation we’ve introduced today would not have been possible without Congresswoman Hirono’s leadership and vision.”
Another major component to this legislation is aligning early education programs with state academic standards. Funding would be used to create a system to track the developmental progress of children through early childhood until they enter Kindergarten.
“I applaud Congresswoman Hirono's longstanding commitment to early childhood learning,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. “Her leadership and support for this legislation will play an important role in fulfilling President Obama's commitment to give America's children the educational tools they need to succeed.”
The Early Learning Challenge Fund is intended to support, not supplant, state efforts, and to encourage investment in quality early education. The House Education and Labor Committee will now review H.R. 3221 to determine whether to deliver the bill to the House Floor for full consideration.
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