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EARLY EDUCATION POLICY

Provide All Families Access to Quality Early Learning Programs Proven to Cut Crime.  A wide body of research from some of our most esteemed academic institutions tells us that expanding these investments will significantly cut the numbers of kids who grow up to become criminals.  We have made good progress in Illinois and these proposals will keep us moving forward. 

2008 (FY09) Policy Recommendations:

A. Increase the FY 09 Early Childhood Education Block Grant appropriation by at least $60 million to $408 million to provide for both expanded access and quality enhancements in the Illinois State Board of Education pre-kindergarten program.  This increase would serve about 15,000 new three- and four-year-olds and allow us to remain on target with the Preschool for All implementation plan. 

B.  Support continued improvements in the child care assistance program for working families.  Our goals in supporting these improvements are to stabilize child care access and quality for children of low-income families.  This will help to preserve parents’ choice of a variety of quality care settings for their youngsters – both home-based and center-based care. FY09 Cost: still being finalized but the estimated range is $15 to $45 million.

C. Re-authorize the Preschool for All legislation (removal of the sunset). As is common with new initiatives, the Preschool for All legislation contained a sunset provision of June 30, 2008.  Legislation needs to pass to remove the sunset provision. We urge continued bi-partisan support for this important initiative and goal to provide the opportunity to enroll in a quality preschool program for all Illinois families.