Recently, in a public press conference, President Obama laid out his education plan and, as promised in the presidential race, he placed a special emphasis on early education.
"It's time to give all Americans a complete and competitive education from the cradle up through a career," he said.
While the president came under fire for focusing on education while the economy remains in crisis, he pointed out that "economic progress and educational achievement go hand-in-hand."
The Obama/Biden comprehensive "Zero to Five" plan will invest $10 billion per year to:
- Quadruple the number of eligible children for Early Head Start, increase Head Start funding and improve quality for both.
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Work to ensure all children have access to preschool.
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Provide affordable and high-quality child care that promotes child development and eases the burden on working families.
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Create a Presidential Early Learning Council to increase collaboration and program coordination across federal, state and local levels.