| Ellison Statement on President’s Call for Universal Pre-K |
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| February 14, 2013 |
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WASHINGTON—Rep. Keith Ellison (MN-05) released the following statement today on the President’s plan to give children in America a chance to attend Pre-Kindergarten: “I applaud the President’s call today to make every single child in America a priority. We know the earliest stages of development are critical to success later in life. Right now, a zip code plays too large of a role in determining a child’s future. That’s why the President’s call for Universal Pre-K is so important—it will unleash the full potential of millions of children in Minnesota and all over the country. “The economy does better when we invest in our children’s future. In Chicago, researchers found that for every dollar we spend on getting our kids started on the right foot, the economy gets $11 back.. When kids receive the tools they need early in life, our economy reaps the benefits. “Nearly half of all children in Minnesota begin kindergarten without the necessary skills to succeed in school. This gap in school preparedness costs our state over $800 million in unnecessary costs each year, according to MinneMinds. “The investment we make today increases a child’s chances of succeeding in the classroom and graduating from high school. That’s good for them and it’s good for us. I look forward to working with the White House on guaranteeing every child in America a seat in a pre-Kindergarten classroom.” |
