Norton Visits Her Elementary School as DCPS Starts Today and Announces Her Universal Prekindergarten Bill
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) opened today school by cutting the ribbon on a new cafeteria at Bruce-Monroe at Park View, the elementary school she attended. Norton used the first day of District of Columbia Public Schools to announce that when Congress returns from recess, she will introduce the Universal Prekindergarten and Early Childhood Education Act of 2015. Norton said that today was also a personal and sentimental occasion for her, even though Bruce-Monroe is now only a playground at Georgia Ave. and Irving St. NW.
Her bill uses federal grants to encourage public school systems to provide universal, prekindergarten to every child, regardless of income. Norton said school districts that do not have early childhood education programs, as well as those in the 40 states and D.C. that fund at least some early childhood education, would be eligible for the grants. Although D.C. already offers free universal pre-kindergarten to all, Norton emphasized the city would be covered by her bill. She said her bill puts D.C. in the same position as it was when the city offered health care to uninsured residents before the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and its programs were later mostly absorbed into the ACA. Norton said her bill fills No Child Left Behind’s significant prekindergarten education gap by using existing public school infrastructure and standards for public school teachers.
“Early childhood is the most critical period for a child’s brain development,” Norton said. “When this period is maximized, healthy development is virtually assured. Head Start and other early childhood education programs have been successful in lifting up a selectively small number of children fortunate to receive access to programs that offer genuine educational programs geared to three- and four-year-old children. The documented effects virtually mandate providing this early start on learning to all kids.”
The Norton bill would bring the educational benefits of Pre-K within reach of the great majority of kids by adding new grades for three- and four-year-olds, similar to five-year-old kindergarten programs that are now routinely part of public schools. Providing Pre-K as part of the public school system would also ensure qualified teachers and safe facilities for all children. Norton’s bill addresses the great majority of parents who are neither wealthy enough to afford early education nor low-income enough to qualify for Head Start. Her bill leaves intact proven programs funded by the federal government today.