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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 13, 2006

Contact:
Nathan James, Preschool for All,
310-786-7441 - office
206-313-1673 - cell

Preschool for All Act Cleared for June Ballot

California Secretary of State Certifies Landmark Initiative to Provide Preschool to All Four-Year-Olds

SACRAMENTO - California Secretary of State Bruce McPherson has certified the Preschool for All Act, a ground-breaking initiative to provide quality preschool education, for the June primary election ballot.

Backed by business groups, education leaders, and children’s advocate Rob Reiner, Preschool for All will guarantee access to quality preschool for all children one-year before kindergarten. The program will be part-day, voluntary, and will allow parents to choose the preschool program that best meets their needs.

“This is a great day for children in California,” Reiner said. “This June, voters will have the opportunity to improve California’s education system by ensuring that every child, regardless of income, has access to quality preschool. Without a doubt, Preschool for All is the best investment we can make in our children’s future.”

Statewide, only one out of five children has access to quality preschool. Yet, research has shown that quality preschool helps all children succeed in school and contributes to their success in life. Children who attend preschool are more likely to read by the third grade, less likely to need remedial education, and more likely to graduate on time and go to college.

“Preschool for All is an idea whose time has come,” said Jack O’Connell, California Superintendent of Public Instruction and a strong preschool supporter. “This initiative will dramatically improve the performance of our K-12 system by ensuring that all children enter kindergarten ready to learn. Preschool will help us raise achievement levels for all children in California, and it offers real hope for closing the achievement gap."

Business leaders and chambers of commerce across California are supporting Preschool for All because it is also a smart investment in California’s economy. A recent study by economists at the RAND Corporation confirmed the benefits preschool program available to all children. The researchers found that every dollar California invests in quality preschool would return $2.62 in savings from reduced remedial education, lower drop out rates, and less crime. The full study, including localized data for California counties is available here: http://www.preschoolcalifornia.org/rand-local.html

The Preschool for All campaign submitted over 1 million signatures to local election officials in November 2005. The measure required 598,105 valid signatures to qualify.

Preschool for All funds voluntary preschool for all California children in the year prior to kindergarten. It asks for support from the wealthiest 1% of Californians by increasing their tax rate by 1.7% on the annual income they earn over $800,000 for married couples or $400,000 for individuals. Built on the existing public/private preschool system, the initiative insists upon quality for children and their families; adequate qualifications and compensation for instructional staff; flexibility to meet local needs; and accountability to the public.

Preschool for All is supported by a bi-partisan coalition of business, education, and elected leaders, including (partial list):

Business:
Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce
San Francisco Chamber of Commerce
Oakland Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce
Warren Hellman- Chairman, Hellman & Friedman LLC
Eli Broad- Founder, SunAmerica, Inc.

Education:
National & California Head Start Associations
California Association for the Education of Young Children (CAEYC)
Preschool California
Parents Action for Children
California Association for Family Child Care
Children Now
Los Angeles Universal Preschool (LAUP)
Nancy Daly Riordan- Children’s Advocate
Beth Lowe- Children’s Advocate

Organizations:
Service Employees International Union (SEIU)
National Council of La Raza (NCLR)
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, CA. (CA-NAACP)

Elected officials:
Senator Barbara Boxer
Congressmember Nancy Pelosi, Minority Leader
Congressmember George Miller
Congressmember Linda Sanchez
California State Controller Steve Westly
California State Treasurer Phil Angelides
Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell
Speaker of the CA. Assembly Fabian Nunez
President Pro Tem, CA. Senate Don Perata
Mayor of Los Angeles Antonio Villaraigosa
Mayor of San Francisco Gavin Newsom
L.A. County Sheriff Lee Baca
S.F. District Attorney Kamala Harris

For more information about the Preschool for All ballot initiative, visit: http://www.preschoolforallca.com.

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