Pew Urges Congress to Include Federal Funding for Pre-K in Elementary and Secondary Education Act

Marci Young, director of Pre-K Now, a Pew Center on the States campaign, released the following statement about President Obama's comments on education during the 2010 State of the Union address.

“President Obama's remarks demonstrate his commitment to improving our country's prosperity by ensuring that every child has the best opportunity to succeed in school and in life. Preparing our children to compete in the global economy is one of the most urgent challenges we face as a nation. The federal government can get the best return on its investments in education by including funding for high-quality pre-kindergarten in the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), the foundational legislation of our education system.

“Every dollar put toward high-quality pre-k is both an educational and economic stimulus, generating an annual rate of return of up to 16 percent over the lifetime of a child. A federal funding stream for pre-k in ESEA will help improve America's competitive advantage and move the nation toward an education system that provides equal opportunity for every child. 

“We urge Congress to make high-quality pre-k a fundamental part of every child's learning experience—it's the first step in education reform.”