WILMINGTON — With U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan in town to talk about the benefits of early childhood education, Senator Coons caught up with him, Governor Markell and other Delaware leaders at two events on Monday to show his support.
Senator Coons is a big supporter of early childhood education. One of the first bills he cosponsored as a new senator was called the Supporting State Systems of Early Learning Act. Just a few months later, Secretary Duncan and President Obama announced they were creating a Race to the Top program for early-learning programs — pre-kindergarten. Delaware was one of just nine states to win funds in that competition back in 2011.
“In child after child, we’ve seen proof that early education results in kids who are better prepared for the classroom and ultimately more successful in school and in life,” Senator Coons said. “Developing and implementing a long-term strategic plan shows real leadership and commitment to investing in our kids and ensuring they have every opportunity to succeed. When we invest in our kids, we invest in our own future.”
Chris caught up with Secretary Duncan at St. Michael’s School and Nursery in Wilmington, where they talked about the importance of early learning to kids’ development.
They then moved to Penn Cinema on the Wilmington Riverfront to join community and business leaders, early childhood advocates and professionals from across the state for the unveiling of Delaware’s strategic plan for early childhood education.
You can read more about Delaware’s long-term strategic plan here. You can read more about President Obama’s Preschool for All proposal here.