Washington, D.C. — Today, Center for American Progress President Neera Tanden released the following statement in reaction to the New York State Assembly and Senate budget agreement to include $1.5 billion in dedicated funding for universal, high-quality pre-kindergarten and afterschool programs for New York City:
By establishing universal, high-quality preschool in the nation’s largest school district, New York is taking a strong step to get children ready to learn, address the needs of parents, and reduce inequality over the long term. Mayor Bill de Blasio has shown tremendous leadership in championing preschool expansion and deserves credit for making his proposal a reality. Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D-NY) and leaders from both sides of the aisle also deserve credit for their efforts to ensure that all children in New York City have access to the early learning opportunities that we know they need to grow up and compete in tomorrow’s workforce. This is a smart investment that will not only benefit families today, but will also pay for itself by strengthening our economy in the future.
To speak with a CAP expert on this topic, contact Katie Peters at [email protected] or 202.741.6285.
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