| Education Recommendation #1
Expand pre-kindergarten access for all four-year-olds, and coordinate early childhood programs to establish one high-quality systemIn the regular session, Blueprint Louisiana strongly supported Senate Bill 286 to phase in universal access to Louisiana’s successful Cecil J. Picard LA 4 Early Childhood Education Program (Pre-K) over the next six years. Blueprint believes there is not a better place for Louisiana to invest in order to obtain the best outcomes for our children. High-quality preschool programs have long-lasting effects, improving student outcomes well into the teen-age and adult years, and research shows much-improved educational skills and higher test scores have occurred thus far in Louisiana’s LA 4 students. Economically, the long-term impacts of high-quality preschool programs translate into significant public and private benefits, with returns far exceeding the costs.
Louisiana lawmakers unanimously approved SB 286, and it was signed by the governor on July 9. Effective August 15, 2008, Act No. 876 increases income eligibility for LA 4 in incremental steps until the 2013-14 school year, when, pending the appropriation of necessary funding, Pre-K will be available for all four-year-olds regardless of income. This monumental achievement makes Louisiana only the ninth state to commit to provide Pre-K for all four-year-olds. This will translate into thousands of children who will benefit from the enriching, nurturing experiences that will set them on a path for educational and social success.
The challenge for LA 4 is additional funding.Some students who are currently eligible for the program - those at 185% of the federal poverty level - are not able to attend because of a lack of funding. We must convince lawmakers to fill this existing shortfall as well as to appropriate new dollars each year to expand the eligibility requirements outlined in the bill.
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