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Oct. 12, 2011 – 10:39 p.m.

Preschool Experts: Harkin Bill Not Enough

By Lauren Smith, CQ Staff

Advocates pushing for preschool to be recognized as part of the public education system were disappointed by a Senate proposal to overhaul the federal education law, which they see as their best shot at changing the system.

The draft bill to rewrite the law known as No Child Left Behind (PL 107-110) lacked the robust policy changes to early education that many were hoping to see. Its main author, education panel Chairman Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, said he had hoped to include more language to bolster preschool education but that the proposal was the product of tough negotiations.

“I think we’re missing the boat by not putting more funds in early learning, but these were compromises we had to make,” he said. “We have more [about early learning] in this bill than we’ve ever had before in an ESEA [Elementary and Secondary Education Act] bill.”

Education policy experts appeared to share his sentiment.

“I think it’s a good first step,” said Laura Bornfreund, a policy analyst at the New America Foundation’s Early Education Initiative. “We were a little disappointed — and it sounded like Harkin was, too — that there wasn’t a more robust and explicit inclusion of early childhood education.”

Early education was addressed in bits and pieces in the chairman’s mark, which Harkin negotiated with Michael B. Enzi of Wyoming, the top Republican on the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. For example, it would write into law the administration’s three competitive grant programs: Promise Neighborhoods, Race to the Top and Investing in Innovation.

Promise Neighborhoods deals directly with what the administration calls “cradle to career,” aimed at ensuring that children are set on a track for success beginning at birth. For the first time, the application for Race to the Top would allow states and school districts to include proposals for preschool. Including early education in an application for Investing in Innovation would give states extra points in the competition for federal dollars.

The bill also includes a provision that would funnel more money to professional development for early education teachers.

Although it is generally accepted by lawmakers that pre-kindergarten education is beneficial, some conservatives argue that legislation on the issue would be a federal intrusion. Others simply believe that the reauthorization of No Child Left Behind is the wrong vehicle for early childhood education.

The current education law recognizes early education as kindergarten through third grade and barely addresses preschool. The law allows low-income school districts to use federal Title I grants to set up pre-K programs, but education policy experts said that most states and school districts are unaware of that rule.

The federal government also funds Head Start early education programs, but they focus on at-risk children and do not serve all communities.

Although most states and school districts offer some sort of pre-K program, it is not required, and the districts are responsible for piecing together funding for the programs themselves. Many use a combination of state and local funds as well as grants from private foundations and say it is difficult to amass enough funding each year.

Amendments in the Works

Preschool Experts: Harkin Bill Not Enough

Advocates were hoping that the Senate proposal would include a separate title to address preschool — language that would define the federal education system as preschool through 12th grade, and provisions that specifically aligned preschool education with kindergarten.

“A lot of people would have liked to see those changes,” Bornfreund said.

Speaking with reporters Tuesday morning, Harkin said the legislation is likely to change before his committee meets Oct. 18 for the first day of a four-day markup. And committee staff says it expects to consider a number of amendments from both sides of the aisle.

Committee member Patty Murray, D-Wash., already said she plans to offer amendments related to early childhood education. On Oct. 10, Harkin reaffirmed his commitment to the cause.

“I will continue to use any bully pulpit I have to include more on early learning,” he said.

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