March 28, 2019

Castro Leads Bipartisan Request to Fund Preschool Development Grant Program

WASHINGTON—Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), founding co-chair of the Pre-K Caucus in Congress, led a bipartisan request to the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Chairwoman Rosa DeLauro and Ranking Member Tom Cole urging them to fund the Preschool Development Grant Program with at least $400 million. Rep. Castro led the effort along with his colleague Rep. John Katko (NY-24).

“The PDG B-5 program affirms both the importance of early learning in advancing equal access to education and the central role of states in leading early childhood coordination and quality efforts. The program also represents a unique opportunity for the federal government to support state investments and initiatives as they consider how to best align and continue to grow their early learning systems,” the Members of Congress wrote.

The Members of Congress continued: “Increased federal funding of this program is critical to ensure the 46 states and territories awarded planning grants can move forward with implementation.”

The letter was also signed by Reps. Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan (MP); Gwen Moore (WI-04); Stacey E. Plaskett (VI); Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC); Juan Vargas (CA-51); Chellie Pingree (ME-01); Donald M. Payne, Jr. (NJ-10); Ruben Gallego (AZ-07); Chris Pappas (NH-01); Mark DeSaulnier (CA-11); Tom O’Halleran (AZ-01); Cederic L. Richmond (LA-02); Anthony Brindisi (NY-22); Jennifer Wexton (VA-10); Antonio Delgado (NY-19); Conor Lamb (PA-17); Dwight Evans (PA-03); Jim Himes (CT-04); Ayanna Pressley (MA-07); Joseph D. Morelle (NY-25); Ilhan Omar (MN-05); Pramila Jayapal (WA-07); Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05); Jerry McNerney (CA-09); Sharice Davids (KS-03); Albio Sires (NJ-08); Raúl M. Grijalva (AZ-03); Harley Rouda (CA-48); Susan Wild (PA-07); Eddie Bernice Johnson (TX-30); Rashida Tlaib (MI-13); Tony Cárdenas (CA-29); Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (FL-26); Jeff Van Drew (NJ-02); Madeline Dean (PA-04); John Yarmuth (KY-03); Ben McAdams (UT-04); James P. McGovern (MA-02); John B. Larson (CT-01); Jamie Raskin (MD-08); David Scott (GA-13); Mark Takano (CA-41); Ann McLane Kuster (NH-02); Sean Casten (IL-06); Earl Blumenauer (OR-03); Donna E. Shalala (FL-27); Donald S. Beyer Jr. (VA-08); Anthony G. Brown (MD-04); Kim Schrier, M.D. (WA-08); Zoe Lofgren (CA-19); Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11); Salud Carbajal (CA-24); David Trone (MD—06); Tulsi Gabbard (HI-02); Lucy McBath (GA-06); Darren Soto (FL-09); Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01); Joe Courtney (CT-02); TJ Cox (CA-21); Alcee L. Hastings (FL-20); Yvette D. Clarke (NY-09); Jan Schakowsky (IL-09); Sheila Jackson Lee (TX-18); Steve Cohen (TN-09); Carolyn B. Maloney (NY-12); Kathleen M. Rice (NY-04); Stephen F. Lynch (MA-08); Alma S. Adams, Ph.D. (NC-12); Diana DeGette (CO-01); Frederica S. Wilson (FL-24); Jerrold Nadler (NY-10); Barbara Lee (CA-13); Peter DeFazio (OR-04); Terri A. Sewell (AL-07); Danny K. Davis (IL-07); Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01); Peter Welch (VT-at large); David N. Cicilline (RI-01); and Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03).

Full text of the letter can be found here and follows.

March 28, 2019

The Honorable Rosa DeLauro
Chairwoman
Subcommittee on Labor, Health and
Human Services, and Education
2413 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515

The Honorable Tom Cole
Ranking Member
Subcommittee on Labor, Health and
Human Services, and Education
2207 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515

 
Dear Chairwoman DeLauro and Ranking Member Cole:

As the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee develops its Fiscal Year 2020 appropriations bill, we respectfully urge you to fund the Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five (PDG B-5) program at a level of at least $400 million. We appreciate the Subcommittee's commitment to this program as demonstrated through its full funding in the FY18 and FY19 appropriations process and hope to build on its success in FY20.

We were pleased that Congress authorized PDG B-5 in the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) at $250 million per fiscal year (P.L. 114-95). The inclusion of PDG B-5 in ESSA marks the first time that Congress has dedicated specific funds to promote access to high-quality early childhood education as part of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). The PDG B-5 program affirms both the importance of early learning in advancing equal access to education and the central role of states in leading early childhood coordination and quality efforts. The program also represents a unique opportunity for the federal government to support state investments and initiatives as they consider how to best align and continue to grow their early learning systems.

To date, states have shown tremendous interest in the PDG B-5 program. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) initially expected to award a maximum of 40 grants in year-one, however, 47 states applied for PDG B-5 funding. Due to the overwhelming response, the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) awarded as many grants as possible with the allocated funding, which required states to significantly scale back their proposals. Ultimately, 46 states and territories received one-year planning grants that ranged from $538,000 to $10.6 million.

Governors from across the country are applauding these critical federal investments, and the comprehensive needs assessments and strategic plans, funded in year-one, are well underway in all 46 jurisdictions. Grantees will now have the opportunity to apply for implementation grants that will fund the execution of the strategic plans created during year-one. The implementation grants must be awarded by December 31, 2019 and HHS has indicated that due to the overwhelming participation, not all states will receive grants at the program’s current funding level. Therefore, increased federal funding of this program is critical to ensure the 46 states and territories awarded planning grants can move forward with implementation.

We respectfully request the Subcommittee increase funding for the PDG B-5 program to at least $400 million to allow the 46 grantees the opportunity to move forward in their development of comprehensive early learning systems.

Sincerely,

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