“By providing students with early educational opportunities we can help lay the foundation for future academic success,” Kucinich said. Kucinich is the only Member of Congress from the state of Ohio on the Education and Labor Committee.
“Our country has great wealth. Yet, we are constantly selling the youth of our nation short. Unfortunately, there is a drastic shortage of affordable and accessible early childhood education programs.
“We must make the education of our youth a top priority. This bill is a large first step in that direction.”
As a Presidential candidate, Kucinich was the first to call for a significant cut to our drastically bloated Pentagon budget by 15%, much of which will be put into education to rebuild schools and provide a truly universal education system. Bill Richardson and John Edwards have followed Kucinich's lead, albeit less boldly.
Further, Kucinich wants to move away from No Child Left Behind, with its quantitative, test-taking measuring system, to an education system with a more qualitative emphasis; of critical and creative thinking, languages and the arts, reading and learning skills. We need to integrate proven techniques and the well-established body of knowledge on childhood development to let them grow and develop their practical aspirations.
Pre-kindergarten programs prepare children to meet the challenges of school. Studies show that young children who have access to a quality education benefit with higher academic achievements, increased graduation rates and decreased juvenile delinquency. Nationwide, there's a severe shortage of affordable, quality education programs. By providing universal pre-kindergarten, we are ensuring that all of our children are ready for school. Education is the only solution proven to reduce poverty levels. This conclusion is backed by thousands of national studies.
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