STATEMENT: Neera Tanden on House and Senate Bills to Expand Access to Early Education

Washington, D.C. – Center for American Progress President Neera Tanden issued the following statement today reacting to the Senate HELP Committee and House Committee on Education and the Workforce introducing legislation to dramatically expand access to preschool:

Expanding access to early education is an important building block for spurring America’s long-term economic growth, meeting the needs of women and working families, and ensuring today’s children are prepared to compete in tomorrow’s workforce. The legislation introduced today provides a vision for preschool that includes qualified teachers and classrooms designed to enrich children’s learning and prepare them for school. I applaud Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA), Rep. George Miller (D-CA), and Rep. Richard Hanna (R-NY) for taking this important step toward increasing access to high-quality preschool.

Additional resources on early education from CAP:

• The School-Readiness Gap and Preschool Benefits for Children of Color
• The United States Is Far Behind Other Countries on Pre-K
• The Importance of Preschool and Child Care for Working Mothers
• Federal Investment Can Help Close the Preschool Access Gap
• Investing in Our Children: A Plan to Expand Access to Preschool and Child Care

To speak with an expert on this topic, contact Katie Peters at kpeters@americanprogress.org or 202.741.6285.

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