“High-quality, full-day preschool” for 3- and 4-year-olds.
Legislators in the Senate may include President Biden’s $200 billion proposal for universal pre-kindergarten in their $3.5 trillion bill, the details of which have yet to be released. Senators will have to consider how many seats are needed in pre-K classes to provide for universal access.
The National Institute for Early Education Research in its annual “State of Preschool” report found that at least 5 million more seats would be required for universal preschool in the United States, with about $901 billion in annual funding for all 3- and 4-year-olds to have access to “high-quality, full-day preschool.”
The American Families Plan the president unveiled in April includes $200 billion for universal pre-K, along with $225 billion for child care that would make care more affordable for many families and free to low-income families.
Florida, Georgia, and Oklahoma are the only states that currently make pre-K available to all four-year-olds. There are 13 places around the world that offer free preschool programs. Japan and Germany offer some form of free pre-K, and in Sweden it is free to low-income families
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For members of Congress as they consider mandating all 3 and 4-year-old children be enrolled in day-long pre-kindergarten.
- For U.S. officials looking to implement childcare systems to include pre-K, or to expand educational facilities to make room for all the needs of the little ones.
Sources: Politico, Newsmax, Business Insider
