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2014 SESSION

14100883D
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 10
Offered January 8, 2014
Prefiled December 3, 2013
Recognizing the inestimable value of early childhood education to children and to the Commonwealth.
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Patrons-- Kory, Rasoul, BaCote, Brink, Bulova, Carr, Dance, Filler-Corn, Futrell, Hope, Howell, A.T., James, Krupicka, Lewis, Lopez, McClellan, McQuinn, Morrissey, Plum, Sickles, Simon, Surovell, Torian, Tyler, Watts, Barker, Favola and Hester; Senators: Howell, Petersen, Puller and Saslaw
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Referred to Committee on Rules
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WHEREAS, quality early childhood education programs benefit all children, particularly those from economically disadvantaged homes; provide a sound basis for learning; and build knowledge, personal competence, confidence, and a sense of social responsibility; and

WHEREAS, ensuring access to quality preschool programs for three-year-olds and four-year-olds has proven to be one of the soundest educational investments the public can make, providing demonstrated, significant, long-term reductions in the costs of special education, grade retention, welfare, and crime; and

WHEREAS, during their K through 12 years and beyond, children who attend quality preschool programs perform better on standardized achievement tests in reading and math; exhibit more positive behaviors in the classroom; and are more likely to graduate from high school, continue their education, and become prosperous adults; and

WHEREAS, quality preschool programs should be funded adequately in order to assure adherence to established standards of quality and to recruit and retain professional staff; and

WHEREAS, the Commonwealth in 2014 expects to allocate $68.6 million for the Virginia Preschool Initiative to expand childhood education opportunities for children not served by the federal Head Start program; and

WHEREAS, the Virginia Preschool Initiative and Head Start serve approximately 33,000 children in Virginia; and

WHEREAS, this figure represents a small percentage of the children in Virginia who could benefit from preschool education; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the Commonwealth recognize the inestimable value of early childhood education to children and to the Commonwealth and set a goal of extending the availability of early childhood education so that the Virginia Preschool Initiative and Head Start together reach 50,000 children in the Commonwealth by 2019; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates transmit a copy of this resolution to the Governor that he may be apprised of the sense of the General Assembly of Virginia in this matter.