Here’s a sampling of early childhood education for the week of August 11-15:
TOP STORY
U.S. Department of Education Announces New Preschool Grant Program On Wednesday, the Obama Administration launched a new $250 million competitive grant program for states to create or expand preschool opportunities. Grants will be awarded in December 2014.
Read More:
Obama Administration Aims to Expand Preschools with State Grants – Wall Street Journal
Obama Administration Unveils New Preschool Grant Program – Education Week
OTHER NATIONAL NEWS
U.S. Mayors Pledge to Fight Income Inequality, Fund Early Learning This week, more than 30 Mayors attended the first meeting of the U.S. Conference of Mayors Opportunity Task Force in New York City. The participating Mayors outlined an agenda to reduce the wage gap in American cities, including funding early childhood education opportunities for low-income families. Read More at WNYC.
FROM THE STATES
MISSISSIPPI: State’s Pilot Pre-K Program to Operate in 66 Sites More than 2,000 Mississippi children will be served in the coming school year. Read More.
COLORADO: Denver City Council Votes to Send Preschool Sales Tax Increase to Voters If approved, the new measure would increase the state preschool sales tax by three cents and extend the tax until 2026. Read More.
MASSACHUSETTS: Gubernatorial Candidate Releases Ad Promoting Universal Pre-K Plan Democrat Steve Grossman wants to expand state pre-K programs to approximately 25,000 children from low-income families. Read More.
NEW MEXICO: Candidate for Governor Calls for New Early Learning Investments New Mexico Attorney General and Democratic candidate for governor Gary King supports drawing funds from the state’s Land Grant Permanent Fund to expand early childhood education. Read More.