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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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CONTACT:
Nicole Reigelman |
State Rep. Chris King |
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King introduces bill to provide dedicated early education funding
LANGHORNE, April 3 – State Rep. Chris King, D-Bucks, said he has seen the success of Gov. Ed Rendell's Early Childhood Education Initiative firsthand. To help build on that success, Rendell has asked King to introduce legislation that would increase funding for the popular and successful Accountability Block Grant Program.
King’s bill would increase the program’s funding by $100 million in the 2007-08 state budget and require the new funding to be used for two specific early childhood education initiatives.
“Study after study show the importance that early education plays in the lives of our children,” King said. “Children begin socialization with their peers and adults, and gain useful life skills like paying attention and following directions.
“This kind of investment pays remarkable dividends that last for generations, and sparks an enthusiasm for lifelong learning.”
King’s proposal would require a quarter of the additional $100 million in Accountability Block Grant funding to be dedicated to school districts that guarantee it will be used to establish or expand full-day kindergarten programs. The remaining $75 million would go toward pre-kindergarten competitive grants to increase the number of children receiving a quality pre-school education.
Accountability Block Grants are awarded for a variety of different programs geared toward helping schools meet the standards mandated by the federal No Child Left Behind Act. The grants are an initiative proposed by Rendell and first funded by the legislature in 2003. They are funded in the current budget at a level of $250 million.
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