“Secretary Duncan’s leadership and unwavering dedication to early childhood education has made an immeasurable difference in the lives of countless young learners.”
WASHINGTON – Today it was announced that U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan would be stepping down later this year. In response, First Five Years Fund (FFYF) executive director Kris Perry issued the following statement:
“Secretary Duncan’s leadership and unwavering dedication to early childhood education has made an immeasurable difference in the lives of countless young learners. He has harnessed what all of the research shows about the benefits of investing in early learning, and successfully incorporated it into the everyday mission and policy goals of the Department of Education. We are incredibly grateful to Secretary Duncan for being a champion of American’s greatest resource – it’s children.”
During his tenure as Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan greatly expanded the department’s work in support of early childhood education. Among his many accomplishments, Sec. Duncan led the Obama administration’s Race to the Top – Early Learning Challenge grants and Preschool Development Grants. Furthermore, under his leadership, the Department of Education issued guidance clarifying how school districts can use Title I dollars to implement high-quality preschool programs for eligible children.
The First Five Years Fund helps America achieve better results in education, health and economic productivity through investments in quality early childhood education programs for disadvantaged children. FFYF provides knowledge, data, and advocacy – persuading federal policymakers to make investments in the first five years of a child’s life that create greater returns for all. www.ffyf.org
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