Thursday, March 29, 2007
A Message from Ready 4 K...
Call your Minnesota Senator: Senate Education Proposal May Include More Funding for Early Childhood
Ready 4 K has learned that the Minnesota Senate is considering a proposal to add more funding for education, including early childhood education. As you know, the E-12 Education bill approved by the Senate earlier this week included only a small amount of funding for early childhood education. Now, we’re hearing that an additional $50 to $100 million could be added for early childhood.
This is good news. Our calls have clearly made a difference! We’re pleased to see some progress on early care and education.
Decisions about additional funding for education are likely to be made within the next few days and we need to make sure that Senators hear from their constituents TODAY that early childhood should be included as part of any new investment.
Background: The proposed legislation, now known as the Pre-Kindergarten Education Act (SF 3), creates a new funding stream that will offer assistance to parents of 3 and 4 year olds to pay for quality learning experiences for their children. Authored by Sen. Tarryl Clark, the legislation provides pre-kindergarten education allowances of up to $4,000, based on family income on a sliding scale. Parents can use the allowances to pay for any early learning program that meets quality standards, including Head Start and School Readiness programs, and center-based and family child care.
The funds focus on the lowest income children, but reach other children who may not be ready for kindergarten. The Act is also likely to include funds for capacity building to increase quality in child care.
At this point, it’s unknown whether the Pre-Kindergarten Education Act will proceed on its own or whether it will be part of a larger tax increase bill that includes other spending items, like an increase in the K-12 funding formula. We should know more later this week. But whatever happens in the future, Senators need to hear from you TODAY that early childhood education should be included.
Action Needed : Contact your Senator TODAY and tell them: Any new investment should include more resources for early care and education, so please make sure you fund the Pre-Kindergarten Education Act. With 50% of our children not yet ready to enter kindergarten, you have an historic opportunity to change that trend and close the achievement gap.
You can send an email to your Senator. It would be even better if you called your Senator directly. Decisions are being made quickly, so time is of the essence. Senators need your support to make this new investment. To find out who your Senator is and their phone number, visit the District Finder or call toll-free 1-888-234-1112.
Deadline for responding: Please take action TODAY.
Call your Minnesota Senator: Senate Education Proposal May Include More Funding for Early Childhood
Ready 4 K has learned that the Minnesota Senate is considering a proposal to add more funding for education, including early childhood education. As you know, the E-12 Education bill approved by the Senate earlier this week included only a small amount of funding for early childhood education. Now, we’re hearing that an additional $50 to $100 million could be added for early childhood.
This is good news. Our calls have clearly made a difference! We’re pleased to see some progress on early care and education.
Decisions about additional funding for education are likely to be made within the next few days and we need to make sure that Senators hear from their constituents TODAY that early childhood should be included as part of any new investment.
Background: The proposed legislation, now known as the Pre-Kindergarten Education Act (SF 3), creates a new funding stream that will offer assistance to parents of 3 and 4 year olds to pay for quality learning experiences for their children. Authored by Sen. Tarryl Clark, the legislation provides pre-kindergarten education allowances of up to $4,000, based on family income on a sliding scale. Parents can use the allowances to pay for any early learning program that meets quality standards, including Head Start and School Readiness programs, and center-based and family child care.
The funds focus on the lowest income children, but reach other children who may not be ready for kindergarten. The Act is also likely to include funds for capacity building to increase quality in child care.
Ready 4 K supports the Pre-K Education Act because:
- It makes a significant investment in high quality early care and education that is badly needed;
- It supports parents by providing choices of where they can send their children for quality early learning;
- It could provide new resources for quality programs – like Head Start and School Readiness – that are proven to get children ready for school; and
- It could provide funds to help build the capacity of child care providers to meet quality standards.
At this point, it’s unknown whether the Pre-Kindergarten Education Act will proceed on its own or whether it will be part of a larger tax increase bill that includes other spending items, like an increase in the K-12 funding formula. We should know more later this week. But whatever happens in the future, Senators need to hear from you TODAY that early childhood education should be included.
Action Needed : Contact your Senator TODAY and tell them: Any new investment should include more resources for early care and education, so please make sure you fund the Pre-Kindergarten Education Act. With 50% of our children not yet ready to enter kindergarten, you have an historic opportunity to change that trend and close the achievement gap.
You can send an email to your Senator. It would be even better if you called your Senator directly. Decisions are being made quickly, so time is of the essence. Senators need your support to make this new investment. To find out who your Senator is and their phone number, visit the District Finder or call toll-free 1-888-234-1112.
Deadline for responding: Please take action TODAY.
// posted by Tammy Wachter @ 4:10 PM 
