SEPTEMBER 16, 2014Obama pre-school grants have interest and skeptics
(Wash., D.C.) Three additional states this week signaled their intent to apply for funding under the federal Preschool Development Grants program, bringing to 32 the total number of states competing for a slice of the $250 million set aside to promote high-quality early education.
This news, from the U.S. Department of Education, comes just days after Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal sent a letter to President Barack Obama informing him of the state’s interest in one of the grants but asking him to ensure that the funding is not contingent upon new or expanded preschool programs being aligned to national curriculum standards.
Obama announced in August his latest early learning grant program, part of his larger “Preschool for All” plan to expand early childhood education to most low- and middle-income four-year-olds across the country. The president hopes to fund that 10-year, $75 billion initiative with an increased federal tobacco tax but needs Congressional support to do so.
The preschool development grant program, to be jointly administered by the U.S. Departments of Education and Health and Human Services, will offer an $80 million "development" grant competition for states without a robust early-childhood education program or that haven't already won one of the administration’s Race to the Top Early Learning grants.
The second competition will offer $160 million in "expansion" grants to states that already have successful preschool programs or have already earned a Race to the Top Early Learning grant.
Both grant competitions focus on quality, including ensuring that preschool teachers receive salaries comparable to their K-12 counterparts. Both competitions would also give priority to states that agree to use 50 percent of their funding to expand preschool slots for low-income children, and both call for states to make strong connections between early-learning programs and K-12.
Therein lies the rub for Jindal and for other anti-Common Core states, several of which – Indiana, Missouri, Minnesota, Ohio and Texas included – intend to apply for the preschool development Obama pre-school grants have interest and skeptics :: SI&A Cabinet Report :: The Essential Resource for Superintendents and the Cabinet:
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