H.R.4213: Universal Prekindergarten and Early Childhood Education Act of 2019
Overview
H.R. 4213 would authorize, through, 2025 a competitive grant program for states to establish or expand full-day prekindergarten programs that: (1) permit each three- or four-year-old child in the state to be voluntarily enrolled, regardless of income, in the program at the public school in which the child would be enrolled for kindergarten; (2) run the length of the regular school year; and (3) are taught by teachers who possess equivalent or similar qualifications to those of teachers of other grades in the school.
Talking Points
- Children who attend Pre-K programs perform better in Kindergarten, are less likely to repeat a grade, and are more likely to graduate from high school
- Pre-K programs have the largest beneficial impact on people of color, low-income, and dual-language families.
- Investing in universal Pre-K is essential for fostering a culture of inclusion and creating equity in opportunity among all children
- The National Assembly supports H.R. 4213 because the cost of Pre-K should not be a barrier to a child's academic potential