WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Representative Lynn Woolsey (Petaluma), Ranking Member on the Education Reform Subcommittee that handles legislation for elementary and secondary education, joined Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (San Francisco) and Rep. George Miller (Martinez) Ranking Member of the House Education and the Workforce Committee in a panel discussion to unveil the House minority agenda to strengthen America’s schools.

 

The new "Strengthen Our Schools" initiative is a part of Democrats' New Partnership for America's Future. It will address the educational and safety concerns of students, parents and teachers - to make college more affordable, ensure quality teachers, and fully fund our education system. In addition, the minority will propose new initiatives to boost college graduation rates, strengthen public private partnerships to modernize our schools, and expand high quality preschool opportunities. Rep. Woolsey discussed the importance of expanding pre-kindergarten to all America’s children.

 

The following are Rep. Lynn Woolsey’s words as written for the “Strengthen Our Schools” event in the Rayburn House Office Building on Capitol Hill:

 

“Thank you, Leader Pelosi, for inviting me to take part in the unveiling of the “Strengthen our Schools Initiative.”

 

“This is the time of year when schools are letting out for the summer, when millions of children are wrapping up a year of learning and enrichment that will put them on track to succeed in life. But unfortunately - scandalously, in fact - many of the children with the greatest capacity to learn won’t be finishing their school year…because they didn’t have a school year to begin with.

 

“I’m talking about children under 5, who are too often left behind because not nearly enough states offer universal voluntary state-funded pre-k programs.

 

“You don’t have to be a teacher or a social worker or any kind of expert to understand how a young child absorbs information. All you have to be is a parent or grandparent. You see it every day, in the words they repeat back to you and the daily improvement in their cognitive skills. But, by keeping these little sponges out of the classroom, we’re squandering an important opportunity as a society.

 

“We believe every parent who wants to send their young children to pre-k should have that opportunity, regardless of their income. So we’re committed to working with states to establish, expand, or improve high-quality pre-K programs.

 

“The bottom line is: pre-K works. Children who get it are more likely to excel academically, go to college and hold a secure job, and less likely to require special education, to have delinquency problems or to slip into welfare dependency.

 

“This is the educational equivalent of preventive health care. Childhood immunizations, for example, are an investment in good health down the line, allowing us to avoid debilitating illness. Similarly, high quality pre-K will reduce the need for expensive remedial efforts and will produce more educated, productive, prosperous adults.

 

“And like all education issues, this is fundamentally an economic issue. Our global competitors don’t wait until children turn five to begin their formal education…why should we?

 

“High-quality pre-K is a desperately needed investment in our children, their future, and our nation’s economic strength. I invite all of you here today to join us in this New Partnership for America’s Future.

 

“Thank you very much.”