Early Childhood Education Initiative (Text Only)

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Laura Bush visits with parents Ronnie and Chakeiva Collins, a couple from Plant City, Fla. and their 2-day-old son at Tampa General Hospital on Tuesday, October 1. Mrs. Bush presented the new parents a copy of the Healthy Start, Grow Smart magazine series that provides parents with critical information about the early development, health, nutrition and safety needs of babies and toddlers. White House photo by Susan Sterner.

President Bush's Education Reform Initiatives

In his 2002 State of the Union Address, President Bush stressed the need to prepare children to read and succeed in school with improved Head Start and early childhood development programs. These themes built upon the First Lady's Summit on Early Childhood Cognitive Development, held in July, 2001.

The early childhood initiative announced by President Bush seeks to improve the state of early childhood education, where too many children come to school unprepared to learn. Because a significant number of young children receive care from people other than their parents (62% of children age 5 or younger), Federal and state governments provide more than $18 billion annually (more than $14 billion in Federal support alone) to help families – particularly low-income families – provide for pre-K care.

Despite these significant resources, not all children are receiving care that is high-quality care because: 1) many states do not fully align what children are doing before they enter school with what is expected of them once they are in school; 2) early childhood programs are seldom evaluated based on how well they prepare students to succeed in school; and 3) there is not enough information for early childhood teachers, parents, and other child care providers on the activities that prepare children to be successful in school.

>>More about the Early Childhood Education Initiative

	September 26, 2004 Education: The Promise of America

	January 8, 2004 Fact Sheet: President Bush Celebrates 2nd Anniversary of No Child Left Behind Act

	May 21, 2003 Mrs. Bush's Remarks at the Colorado Early Childhood Cognitive Development Summit

More News »

		Head Start Policy Book February, 2003 PDF version

		Early Childhood Development Guide "Good Start, Grow Smart" PDF version

		A Quality Teacher in Every Classroom: Improving Teacher Quality and Enhancing the Profession PDF version

		First Lady's Summit on Early Childhood Cognitive Development
		Healthy Start, Grow Smart
		White House Summit on Early Childhood Learning Brings Lessons to Parents and Educators
		White House Summit on Early Childhood Learning Announces New Federal Effort
		Speeches by Early Childhood Experts at White House Summit
		ED-HHS Early Childhood Partnership
		U.S. Department of Education
		U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
		National Endowment for the Humanities

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