I. Support creation of Federal Early Education Quality Improvement Grants

Despite the dramatic expansion of state pre-kindergarten programs in the last five years, funding for the management, administration, and monitoring of these programs continues to lag behind.

NBCDI understands that by failing to build proper systems to support quality early education programs, states will also be missing the opportunity to close the achievement gap where it begins – in early childhood.  

In 2007, NBCDI will partner with Pre-K Now to push for the creation of a federal early education quality improvement grant program intended “to strengthen state efforts to build, expand, or improve state pre-k systems.” The proposal provides flexibility for states to use the multi-million dollar grants to improve their early education systems in a variety of ways ranging from streamlining professional development programs to aligning early education standards to curriculum and assessment.  

NBCDI will also work to ensure that the grants can be used to support state systems-building efforts to diversify their early education workforce and ensure teachers receive proper cultural competency training as part of on-going professional development. This is particularly relevant given the high rate of African-American male expulsion in state pre-k programs.

As a partner in Pre-K Now’s coalition, NBCDI will mobilize its 26 affiliates to take action on this issue, lobby the Congress (the congressional black caucus in particular) to support this issue, and assist Pre-K Now in broadening the coalition among organizations fighting for children of color.  

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