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State of the Union Address Emphasizes Pre-Kindergarten Education
posted by: Cindy Omlin | February 14, 2013, 01:16 AM   


Yesterday evening, President Obama addressed several education initiatives in his State of the Union speech, including an expansion of preschool programs and a plan to redesign high schools for the 21st century. 

"Tonight, I propose working with states to make high-quality preschool available to every child in America," Obama said. "Every dollar we invest in high-quality early education can save more than seven dollars later on."

Few can argue the need for affordable options for students. However, the initiative to expand pre-kindergarten to every child in America is a controversial enterprise. Some have questioned the cost and results of such early programs.

According to a study from the Brown Center on Education Policy, universal pre-K and target pre-K programs have varied results. Comparing data in Georgia, Texas, and Oklahoma, authors argues that pre-K programs may not be worth their cost. While targeted programs for Hispanic, low-income, or African American students may be useful in making up deficiencies, an investment in universal pre-K may prove to be an unwise use of resources that aren't readily available.

"We're supportive of high-quality early childhood education," said Yasmina Vinci, who oversees the National Head Start Association. "But I think that the devil will be in the details."

While the speech's pre-school proposal lacked specifics, insiders expect it to follow a recent Center for American Progress report that proposed providing every child with two years of pre-K paid for with federal funds matched by state spending, at an estimated $10,000 per child. CAP predicts that the pre-K component could cost up to $100 billion.

In addition to early childhood education, President Obama stressed the importance of graduating career ready high school students. "I'm announcing a new challenge, to redesign America's high schools so they better equip graduates for the demands of a high-tech economy," he stressed. "We'll reward schools that develop new partnerships with colleges and employers, and create classes that focus on science, technology, engineering and math, the skills today's employers are looking to fill the jobs that are there right now and will be there in the future."

Click here to read a copy of the full State of the Union Address.

What do you think about President Obama's plans?

Comment below.

Originally posted by Ruthie at AAE.


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