Bill Text: NJ SR15 | 2016-2017 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Urges Congress not to cut funds from federal Preschool Development Grant Program.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2016-01-12 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Education Committee [SR15 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2016-SR15-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
217th LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2016 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Senator M. TERESA RUIZ
District 29 (Essex)
SYNOPSIS
Urges Congress not to cut funds from federal Preschool Development Grant Program.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
A Senate Resolution urging Congress not to cut funds from the federal Preschool Development Grant Program.
Whereas, The federal Preschool Development Grant Program, established in 2014, provides competitive grants to states for the purpose of building and expanding high-quality preschool programs in high-need communities for children from low- and moderate-income families; and
Whereas, In the first year of the program, grants totaling more than $226 million were awarded to 18 states. The grants are allowing thousands of additional children across the country to attend high-quality preschool programs, and helping states close equity gaps and provide early learning opportunities in underserved areas; and
Whereas, New Jersey was one of the 18 states awarded a Preschool Development Grant in 2014, receiving nearly $17.5 million, to be renewed annually for up to four years; and
Whereas, The grant is enabling New Jersey to expand its high-quality preschool program to more than 2,300 at-risk children in 17 communities throughout the State; and
Whereas, The grant awarded to New Jersey is helping preschool programs in high-need areas hire certified teachers, reduce class size, implement a developmentally appropriate curriculum, and provide additional support for the education of children with disabilities and English language learners; and
Whereas, The Preschool Development Grant Program is an important step toward filling our nation's tremendous unmet need for high-quality early learning programs, and helping states prepare to participate in President Obama's proposed Preschool for All Initiative; and
Whereas, Spending bills introduced in the House and Senate for fiscal year 2016 would eliminate funding for the Preschool Development Grant Program, at a time when the grants are well underway in providing high-quality preschool access in underserved communities; and
Whereas, A fact sheet released by the United States Department of Education reveals that cutting funds from states in the last two years of the grant will jeopardize access to high-quality preschool for 100,000 children in over 200 communities, including over 3,600 children in New Jersey; and
Whereas, United States Secretary of Education Arne Duncan has strongly opposed cutting funds from the grant program, emphasizing the critical importance of early learning opportunities and stating that we cannot roll back on progress we've made for our youngest students; and
Whereas, The 18 states currently receiving Preschool Development Grants represent only half of the 36 states that applied for the program, indicating a strong interest from states to partner with the federal government to address the unmet need for high-quality preschool in communities across the country; and
Whereas, In contrast to the House and Senate spending bills, President Barack Obama has proposed a budget that would provide $750 million for Preschool Development Grants in fiscal year 2016, which would increase the program by $500 million above the 2015 level and help over 40 states to develop and expand preschool programs in high-need areas; and
Whereas, Investments in early education yield lifetime benefits for our nation's children by helping them become enthusiastic learners, succeed in school, and achieve lifelong success; and
Whereas, All of our nation's children, including those from lower income backgrounds, deserve access to the opportunities that high-quality early education provides; and
Whereas, It is critically important to maintain and expand, not eliminate, sources of funding for high-quality preschool programs throughout the country; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of New Jersey:
1. This House urges Congress not to cut funding from the Preschool Development Grant Program, which is currently helping 18 states, including New Jersey, develop and expand high-quality preschool programs in high-need communities.
2. Copies of this resolution, as filed with the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted by the Secretary of the Senate to the Majority and Minority Leaders of the United States Senate, the Speaker and Minority Leader of the United States House of Representatives, each member of Congress elected from this State, the United States Secretary of Education, and the Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Education.
STATEMENT
This resolution urges Congress not to cut funds from the federal Preschool Development Grant Program. In 2014, 18 states were awarded competitive Preschool Development Grants to build or expand high-quality preschool programs in high-need communities for children from low- and moderate-income families. New Jersey was one of these states, receiving nearly $17.5 million to be renewed annually for four years. The grant is enabling New Jersey to expand its high-quality preschool program to more than 2,300 at-risk children in 17 communities. Across the country, the grants are helping states to close equity gaps and provide access to high-quality preschool for thousands of children in underserved areas.
The United States House and Senate have introduced 2016 spending bills that would eliminate funding for the Preschool Development Grant Program. Cutting funds from states in the last two years of the grant will jeopardize access to high-quality preschool for 100,000 children in over 200 communities, and would roll back on progress the country has made in providing quality early education opportunities for our youngest students. Investments in early education yield lifetime benefits for children by helping them become enthusiastic learners, succeed in school, and achieve lifelong success. It is critically important to maintain and expand, not eliminate, sources of funding for high-quality preschool throughout the country.
