States are receiving hundreds of millions of dollars in "discretionary spending," to fund universal preschool, Barack Obama’s new pet project. Caitlin Emma at Politico writes that the states are receiving the cash even though "Congress hasn’t seriously considered paying for President Barack Obama’s universal preschool proposal."
Race to the Top early learning grants and ObamaCare funds are providing the assistance to states to implement preschool and early childcare programs.
Obama’s plan has come together fairly easily. Department of Education (DOE) Secretary Arne Duncan has been visiting states to stump for universal preschool, while back in Washington the Obama administration has already hired a new director for its Office of Early Learning. Jacqueline Jones came on board to head the effort in November of 2011.
"Establishing an early learning office reinforces this administration’s unwavering effort and determination to address the essential needs of our youngest learners," Jones said in a press release.
Jones will oversee the Early Learning Challenge funded by the stimulus bill’s Race to the Top endeavor, the same program that has incentivized states to adopt the Common Corenational curriculum standards. According to Emma, Libby Doggett, former director of the Pew Home Visiting Campaign, was just confirmed as the Office’s second leader.
Race to the Top is jointly administered by the Departments of Education and Health and Human Services (HHS). The competitive program distributed nearly $500 million to states last year and will do the same this fall.
In early August, the DOE and HHS announced that six states--California, Colorado, Illinois, New Mexico, Oregon, and Wisconsin--will split approximately $89 million in supplemental early learning awards. The states originally received half the funding they requested in their Race to the Top applications.
Emma writes:
Money talks: The administration can herald the competition’s results to convince the public of its value and build pressure on legislators about the critical need for public investment in early childhood education.
Via Breitbart
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