NAEYC supports long awaited investments for children and

education in President’s budget

Increasing investment in child care is a necessary component of economic recovery

(Washington, D.C.) - President Barack Obama’s budget request for early childhood education is a welcome shift in direction after several years of minimal federal funding increases. The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) is very pleased that in this difficult fiscal climate the economic as well as education benefits of high-quality early childhood education are reflected in the budget request.

“When we invest in high-quality early childhood education – from birth through the early grades – we can prevent an education achievement gap and have short and long term economic benefits for our nation,” said Mark R. Ginsberg, Ph.D., executive director of NAEYC. “If Congress makes the right policy decisions and supports these investment proposals, 2010 could be an exemplary year for early childhood education."

Specifics on the proposed budget for early childhood education programs can be found on NAEYC’s policy page.

Now Congress and the Administration need to work together to pass the Early Learning Challenge Fund, reauthorize the Child Care & Development Block Grant, the Child Nutrition Act, and the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and provide the resources to make reforms for better affordability and quality a reality. For more on NAEYC’s recommendations to the 111th Congress, read NAEYC’s Call to Action.

Founded in 1926, the National Association for the Education of Young Children has nearly 90,000 members worldwide.  The association is the largest and most influential advocate for early care and education in the United States.

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