May 20, 2015      11:26 AM
Texas could be an ideal candidate under possible state match program for high-quality pre-K
Proposal rolled out in Congress; Texas could stand to gain if state lawmakers agreed to match the federal grant
Members
of the US House have rolled out a proposed 10-year state match grant
for high-quality state pre-kindergarten programs.
The Strong
Start for America’s Children Act would provide
grants for Head Start, child care and pre-kindergarten programs that
recommended guidelines: well-paid highly qualified teachers; small class size
and low child-to-staff ratios; developmentally appropriate instruction; and
comprehensive services for both child and family, including family engagement
and health screenings.
If the
bill sounds familiar, that’s because a similar
bill was rolled out two years ago by then-Sen. Tom Harkin of Iowa. The bill never made it to the floor, however.
By Kimberly Reeves
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