Congresswoman Sara Jacobs Joins Congressman Gallego and Colleagues to Introduce Universal Full Day Kindergarten Act
Last week, Congresswoman Sara Jacobs (D-CA-53), together with Congressman Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Congresswoman Cindy Axne (D-IA), and Congressman Ritchie Torres (D-NY), introduced the Universal Full-Day Kindergarten Act to ensure that every American child has access to high-quality, full-day kindergarten.
The Universal Full-Day Kindergarten Act creates a grant program in which States and Tribes that apply will receive funding to carry out no-cost, high-quality, full-day kindergarten programs taught by qualified teachers. The bill would also require the Department of Education to release an annual report on the availability of full-day kindergarten across the United States.
“Investing in our kids is the best return on investment we can make – and we know that early childhood education means healthier, happier kids in the long-run. That’s why I’m excited to introduce the Universal Full-Day Kindergarten Act with my colleagues,” said Congresswoman Sara Jacobs. “This pandemic has exposed the deep inequities in our society, and as we work to rebuild from the COVID-19 crisis, access to universal full-day kindergarten will be critical. I’m proud to be fighting to make universal full-day kindergarten a reality.”
“As we recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, it is more important than ever to make sure that all students, no matter where they live, have access to high-quality education and start their academic experiences on equal footing,” said Congressman Gallego. “I am proud to reintroduce the Universal Full-Day Kindergarten Act, the first-ever legislative effort in the House to achieve universal full-day Kindergarten. Not only is ensuring access to full-day Kindergarten the right thing to do to set students up for success, it also would increase economic opportunities for parents and families and provide a lifeline for underfunded and low-income school districts across the country. I am grateful to my colleagues Rep. Jacobs, Rep. Axne, and Rep. Torres for joining me to make access to Kindergarten a reality for all American families.”
There is overwhelming evidence that kindergarten programs improve academic outcomes, aid in kids’ social and emotional development, and improve student active engagement, independent learning, and stress levels. This is especially true for low-income students and students of color. Despite these findings, only 17 states and the District of Columbia require school districts to offer full-day kindergarten – leaving an estimated 40 percent of kindergarten-age students without access to these critical programs. This bill is also endorsed by the National Education Association.
Congresswoman Jacobs has also introduced the Universal Child Care and Early Learning Act with Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Congressman Mondaire Jones (D-NY) and has championed the expanded Child Tax Credit in an effort to reduce childhood poverty and improve access to child care for all American families.