Legislative Background on Early Childhood Education
Recent Action by Congress on Expanding Early Learning
In his February 2013 State of the Union address, President Barack Obama called on Congress to expand preschool programs to make them available to all four year olds through grants to States. “Every dollar we invest in high-quality early childhood education can save more than seven dollars later on — by boosting graduation rates, reducing teen pregnancy, even reducing violent crime,” the President stated. Although Congress did not fulfill his request, 30 States began funding universal preschool programs on their own. The President repeated his commitment to early learning in his 2014 State of the Union address, stating: this year…
