Last week, House Education
and Labor Committee Chairman George Miller introduced the Student Aid
and Fiscal Responsibility Act. The good news about this proposal is
federal funding to support high quality early childhood education
around the country. The summary of the bill includes grants for states that want to build early childhood systems that include:

• Early learning standards reform.
• Evidence-based program quality standards.
• Enhanced program review and monitoring of program quality.
• Comprehensive professional development
• A coordinated system for facilitating screenings for disability, health, and mental health needs.
• Improved outreach and support to parents.
• A process for assessing children's school readiness.
• Use of data to improve child outcomes.

The
bill includes Quality Pathways Grants for states that already have
infrastructure for pre-k and Development Grants that may just be what
states like Indiana, Mississippi, and Idaho need to jump start a public
pre-k program. The bill will likely see much revision if it is to pass
both houses, so please let your congress person know you support pre-k.

Thanks to Lisa Guernsey at Early Ed Watch for the coverage.