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The Case for Pre-K in the ESEA
The evidence is irrefutable: High-quality pre-kindergarten saves taxpayers money; improves children's cognitive, social and emotional skills; decreases the need for grade retention and special education services and helps to close the achievement gap.
In a 2009 speech to the National Black Child Development Institute in Atlanta, U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan said: “We need to get out of the catch-up business, and it all starts with early childhood education.” Yet, despite statements like these, policy makers have yet to match reality with their rhetoric. High-quality pre-kindergarten is barely mentioned in the Obama administration's blueprint for the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) and members of Congress have yet to include it in their legislative drafts.
On this page, you will find resources that demonstrate why pre-k is integral to education reform and the nation's premier education law, the ESEA. Because the reauthorization of the ESEA is a work in progress, we will frequently update this page as new information becomes available.
Why pre-k in the ESEA?
For the first time since 2001, Congress is taking on the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. It is time to update the landmark law to reflect contemporary research including a growing body of research citing the proven benefits of high quality pre-k.
The reauthorization of ESEA offers a rare and unique opportunity to “reform up” based on emerging research of what works best to prepare young children for school and to embrace the direct connection between strong early education and high school graduation, college- and career-readiness.
The resources below all support the argument of why Pre-K should be included in the ESEA:
How do we include pre-k in the ESEA?
In these tough economic times, policymakers can only afford to invest in proven programs. So when it comes to reforming the education system, the first step should be obvious: funding high quality pre-k.
But too often, pre-k is left out of the education reform equation. Despite decades of research illustrating that pre-k prepares children for success in school, a federal funding stream to assist states in implementing the program does not exist.
Through grassroots lobbying, media outreach and policymaker education, we can better position pre-k to be included in the reauthorization of the ESEA.
Letters and Statements
More than 50 years of research shows that high-quality pre-k is a proven strategy to improve children’s cognitive, social and emotional skills; to increase their educational attainment; to close the achievement gap; and to enhance the quality and productivity of the workforce. Here are our public remarks and statements highlighting the evidence supporting pre-k’s inclusion in the ESEA.
- May 7, 2010 - Letter to the chairman and ranking member of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee signed by 15 advocacy and research organizations, providing recommendations for Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) reauthorization to improve the early years of the education continuum.
 Letter to Chairman Harkin and Ranking Member Enzi
- April 23, 2010 -
 Early Learning Listening Tour: Understanding P-3 Structures prepared statement, delivered at the Department of Education by Anya Malkov, Associate, Government Relations, Pew Center on the States.
- April 2, 2010 - Letters to the chairmen and ranking members of the House Education and Labor and Senate HELP committees, urging them to include high-quality pre-kindergarten in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) reauthorization.
 Letter to Chairman Harkin and Ranking Member Enzi
Letter to Chairman Miller and Ranking Member Kline
- March 26, 2010 - Letter to House Education and Labor Committee leaders, signed by 13 education advocacy and research organizations, providing recommendations for Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) reauthorization to improve the early years of the education continuum.
Letter to House Education and Labor Committee Leaders
- January 29, 2010 - Prepared statement delivered at the Department of Education Stakeholders Meeting on Early Education by Kathy Patterson, Senior Officer, Government Relations, Pew Center on the States
Pre-K Now in the News
Who supports the inclusion of pre-k in the ESEA?
Elected and military officials, advocates, business leaders, K-12 educators and organizations alike all support including pre-k in the ESEA.
Here is a growing list of individual and organizational supporters.
Congressional Support and Testimony
National Organizations
The following national advocacy and research organizations signed a  letter to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP), providing recommendations for Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) reauthorization. The letter asserts that improving the early years of the education continuum – beginning with pre-kindergarten and continuing through third grade – is essential to ensuring that every child is college- and career-ready. The signatories believe that ESEA provides the opportunity to establish both a vision and a plan for an American education system that starts early and maintains rigorous attention to the quality of each subsequent grade level.
- Children’s Defense Fund
- First Focus Campaign for Children
- FirstSchool-FPG Child Development Institute
- Foundation for Child Development
- Generations United
- National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE)
- National Association of Early Childhood Specialists in State Departments of Education (NAECS-SDE)
- National Black Child Development Institute
- National PTA
- The Center for Advanced Study of Teaching and Learning (CASTL)
- Voices for America’s Children
Other Allies
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"Redefining ESEA" Webinar
Looking for resources from our Webinar, "Redefining ESEA: The Critical Role of Pre-K and the Early Grades in School Reform Efforts”?
Access our PowerPoint presentation from the March 17 call here.
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Recovery Round-up
You've got questions? We've got answers -- and when it comes to pre-k and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, we've got lots of them. Courtesy of Pre-K Now's federal team, here is our great collection of resources to help you navigate and apply ARRA funding.
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The Case for Pre-K in the ESEA
Research
