WASHINGTON, DC – Rhode Island’s Congressional delegation today congratulated the state for winning a major federal grant to support early childhood education and expand access to high-quality pre-K for children throughout the state.  The Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) will receive $2,290,840 in federal funds this year through the $250 million Preschool Development Grants competition, which U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and U.S. Representatives Jim Langevin and David Cicilline helped authorize through last year’s Omnibus Appropriations bill.

The Preschool Development Grant Program is designed to support building, developing, and expanding voluntary, high-quality preschool programs, with a particular emphasis on getting more children from low and moderate income families to enter kindergarten ready to succeed in school.

The award could provide RIDE with up to $19.03 million over four years under the U.S. Department of Education’s current guidelines.  However, funding levels for future years is subject to Congress appropriating funds for the program.  The fiscal year 2015 Omnibus Appropriations Act making its way through Congress contains $250 million for the program, which could provide RIDE with a projected $5,773,871 for next year.  In years three and four, if Congress continues that level of investment at $250 million, RIDE could receive as much as $6,043,131 in fiscal year 2016, followed by a total of $4,923,691 in fiscal year 2017.  Final funding levels will be determined not only by future appropriations but also by the program meeting performance bench marks.

“I worked hard to make this federal funding available and I am glad Rhode Island now has the chance to expand educational opportunities for our youngest students.  Enrolling more kids in high-quality pre-K gives them an academic head start and a brighter future.  This is a smart investment that has positive long-term economic benefits for the state,” said Reed, a member of the Appropriations Committee.

“Providing access to good pre-school education is one of the most solid investments we can make for our students,” said Whitehouse, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. “Pre-k programs give children the tools they’ll need to learn, and that leads to better outcomes in the classroom and beyond.  I’m proud to see this funding headed to Rhode Island, and of the considerable progress we’ve made on early childhood programs.”

“Early childhood education is crucial to igniting a passion for learning and building a solid educational foundation,” said Congressman Langevin. “This $2.29 million federal grant is a huge victory toward increasing access to quality education, particularly in high-need communities where early intervention can make an enormous difference in the long-term success of a child. These funds will help to close the achievement gap and strengthen an already-outstanding pre-kindergarten program that continues to grow in Rhode Island.”

“High quality preschool programs give children the educational foundation they need to succeed in the classroom. I’m thrilled Rhode Island received these federal funds to develop high-quality preschool programs that will expand education opportunities for low-income families and make our children better off,” said Cicilline, who advocated in support of this grant award.

A total of 35 states and Puerto Rico applied for a share of the $250 million Preschool Development Grants program, which is jointly administered by the U.S. Departments of Education and Health and Human Services.  Awards are being granted to 18 states to expand the reach of their high-quality preschool programs in over 200 high-need communities, to enroll over 33,000 additional children.  Winning states include Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Vermont, and Virginia.

Currently in its sixth year of operation, Rhode Island’s pre-kindergarten program is one of only four in the U.S. to meet all recommended, research-based quality benchmarks, including:

  • A class size of no more than 18 children
  • A teacher with a bachelor’s degree and certification in early childhood education for each classroom
  • A teaching assistant with at least 12 credits in early childhood education for each classroom
  • A 6 hour day for 180 days with available wrap around child care

In a letter supporting the state’s application, the four members of the Congressional delegation wrote: “Providing high-quality learning opportunities for children in the early years is an important step towards creating a foundation for success in school and life.  Funding of this grant will provide RIDE with the resources necessary to address language and literacy skills and close the achievement gap between low-income and more affluent children.”

This federal grant comes on the heels of the state receiving $50 million in 2011 in federal Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge funds to help boost Rhode Island’s early care and education programs.  And last month, Congress re-authorized the Child Development Block Grant, which provides billions of dollars to states annually to help low-income working families pay for child care.

There are currently 17 Rhode Island State Pre-K classrooms in eight communities (Cranston, Central Falls, Newport, Pawtucket, Providence, Warwick, West Warwick, and Woonsocket)  serving  over 300 children.  Children who live in the State Pre-K communities are selected to participate through a state-supervised lottery with children from families at or below 185% of the federal poverty level prioritized for enrollment based on the proportion of low-income children in the local school district.

According to a report by the President’s Council of Economic Advisers, early learning initiatives would provide benefits to society of roughly $8.60 for every $1 spent, about half of which comes from increased earnings for children when they grow up.

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