Providing High-Quality Preschool for Every Child: The President is proposing a new federal-state partnership to provide all low- and moderate-income four-year old children with high-quality preschool, while also expanding these programs to reach additional children from middle class families and incentivizing full-day kindergarten policies.By doing so, the President would invest critical resources where we know the return on our dollar is the highest: in our youngest children. As part of that effort, the President will propose a series of new investments that will establish a continuum of high-quality early learning for a child – beginning at birth and continuing to age 5.

In his State of the Union address, President Obama called on Congress to expand access to high-quality preschool to every child in America. And research has shown that taxpayers receive a high average return on investments in high-quality early childhood education, with savings in areas like improved educational outcomes, increased labor productivity, and a reduction in crime. Children who attend these programs are more likely to do well in school, find good jobs, and succeed in their careers than those who don’t. Leading economists agree that high-quality early learning programs can help level the playing field for children from lower-income families on vocabulary, social and emotional development, while helping students to stay on track and stay engaged in the early elementary grades. The beginning years of a child’s life are critical for building the early foundation needed for success later in school and in life. So let’s do what works and make sure none of our children start the race of life already behind.” “In states that make it a priority to educate our youngest children…studies show students grow up more likely to read and do math at grade level, graduate high school, hold a job, form more stable families of their own.

Office 2013