2. Early Education Programs Early Head Start is the most common program Proven to be effective for children birth to age 5 Programs are mostly there to support low income families and families with children who have disabilities
3. Importance To prepare young children for primary school These programs take into account the factors that contribute to a childs readiness in primary school Ready Children Ready Families Ready Communities Ready Health Services Ready Early Care Services Ready Schools *These factors apply to low income families*
4. Importance Federal funding only covers administrative costs Highest cost is the evaluation and services With previous cuts in budgets, this could leave children and families without access to services In 2004 62,000 children under the age of 3 were served by early education classrooms.
5. Previously Proposed Ideas Restricting eligibility has been and idea to reduce costs Insurance revenue Parent costs
6. Plans for the Future Obama has proposed a budget for 2010 that will increase spending by the U.S. Department of Education by 2.8% Plans to cut 12 programs that White House deems “ineffective”
7. Plans for the Future Factors to an increase of about 1.3 billion dollars 300 millions dollars of that budget will be incorporated into early childhood programs. This separate from the stimulus package
8. Plans for the Future Obama plans to invest in a universal preschool program Reforming the Child and Dependent Tax Credit Early Learning Challenge Grants
9. What This Means Quadrupling the number of eligible children and families Ensuring that families have the money to pay for child care needs States will need to match federal funds
10. Challenges Though many of these plans seem effective, it will take years for them to be put into effect. Some programs that help a few will be cut. Money in this economy is hard to come by so adding funding to early education means decreasing funding elsewhere.
11. It is important to remember that change can take a while. Early Education has been proven to be beneficial though-out life Conclusion
12. References Chalk Drawing, June 2, 2009 tiffanywashko Image_4629, November 1, 2008 kaylhew Free School Child Coloring With Green Pencil (unedited) Creative Commons, March 26 2009, Pink Sherbet Photography "It looked like two rabbits and a sun, but it wasn't two rabbits and a sun”, January 12 2008, Mrs. Finger
13. References Grant, R. (Winter 2005). State Strategies to Contain Costs in the Early Intervention Program: Policy and Evidence. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education. 25(4), 243-50. http://nccic.acf.hhs.gov/poptopics/ecarefunding.html Klein, A. (May 13 2009). Budget Would Boost Incentive Pay, Turnaround Aid. Education Week. 28(31), 20.
