What a great way to jump-start the American dream for California families! Governor Newsom’s historic proposal to make close to $2.4 billion in early childhood investments is quickly and forcefully proving he is a champion for young kids and working families. We applaud the Governor for making good on his campaign promise to invest in Early Learning programs that will give families a chance to provide their children with the opportunity to succeed. By focusing on the early years, when more than 1 million new neural connections are formed every second, and when quality learning interactions and experiences are crucial, this budget proposal invests in kids at the life stage that offers them the greatest benefits.
As a former preschool teacher, I saw firsthand what poverty, food insecurity and homelessness could do to a young child’s chances in life, and I saw the struggles of working parents who didn't know how or where to go for services to help give their kids the best start. In generations past, America's public education system was the great equalizer, lifting families out of poverty and into a better future. But years of inadequate investments in the early years have made the American Dream harder to reach for countless parents who - like all of us - just want the best for their kids.
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