Every kid deserves a strong start

"Eighty percent of a child's brain is developed by age 3, and kids born into punishing environments, who aren't talked to and read to, are 18 months behind their peers by age 4," wrote Daily Beast reporter Eleanor Clift. [1]

There's a need across the country for better access to quality education: Sign the petition to help give every kid a strong start.

We believe every child deserves a fair chance in life, and this begins with quality, early education.

That's why we are pushing for legislation that would give every 4-year-old in America the opportunity to attend preschool.

Congress currently is considering the Strong Start for America's Children Act. This bipartisan bill is a 10-year initiative to improve education for children from birth through their fifth year.

The bill would create a new federal-state formula for grants to fund the expansion of preschool for lower-income 4-year-olds. States would funnel the new money down to various entities, ranging from school districts and charter schools to child care centers and Head Start programs that demonstrate they meet high quality standards.

Stand with us: Sign the petition to your legislators.

Children who attend preschool not only do better in school as they grow older -- they're also more likely to go to college and get a good job. Yet barely half of all our 3- and 4-year-olds attend preschool. For the other half, preschool is either too expensive, too far away or both. That's not only wrong; it's shortsighted.

Every kid deserves a fair chance in life, and education is the best investment we can make in a stronger, more prosperous America.

[1] Clift, Eleanor, Can This Save Early Childhood Education?, The Daily Beast, July 25, 2015.