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Gov. Gregoire: Washington's Youngest Citizens Deserve a Better Chance at Learning

For Immediate Release: December 12, 2005

Governor says children, parents and society will benefit from new focus

SEATTLE � Governor Chris Gregoire today announced a major education initiative for Washington�s small children and their parents � a consolidated focus designed to give children a better chance to learn well before kindergarten.

�The research is in, and there is no doubt. Children are born to learn. They are ready and able to learn well before the traditional milestones of preschool or kindergarten,� said Gov. Gregoire.

The governor said children who are intellectually, socially and emotionally better prepared at an early age are more likely to succeed in school. They are more likely to go to college, and they are more likely to be able to compete in a changing world economy.

�It is clear that parents are the first and best teachers,� said Gregoire. �But we are here today to say that if parents want help in providing learning opportunities for their small children, they will get it.�

Gov. Gregoire said she will bring a visible and strong commitment to early learning by bringing cabinet-level visibility.

�Washington needs to be as committed to effective learning before school starts as it is to kindergarten through high school and higher education,� she said.
The proposal would consolidate more than a half-dozen child care and early learning programs now scattered among state agencies. More importantly, the Governor said, this would help identify and coordinate a broad system of early learning in the years before kindergarten.
One of the first tasks will be to create a ratings system for child care and preschool to help parents find venues that offer their children the best chance to learn emotionally, socially and intellectually.
�Parents can go on-line to choose a new car or a college for their teenager, but when it comes to selecting the best child care or preschool setting, they have very little information to rely on, other than word of mouth,� said the governor. �I want to change that.�
Gov. Gregoire said the state, through the new department, also would join with the private sector to expand and improve early learning opportunities in Washington.

The Governor�s proposal to the Legislature would create an Early Learning Public-Private Partnership. The partnership initially would develop a coordinated public outreach and education campaign to target selected audiences about the importance of early learning not only to children but, ultimately, to the whole Washington community. It will be followed by establishment of an Early Learning Partnership Fund to support high quality learning services in Washington.

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