Thread by @ehpaulED

How North Carolina can and must improve childhood equity in education: a thread 🧵👇 #ncga #ncpol

High-quality Pre-K is effective. Full stop. It’s already proven that attending Pre-K improves graduation rates and helps more kids go to college. Some programs have seen up to $17 in return for every dollar spent. (1/7)

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NC offers a targeted, means-tested program (NC Pre-K). This program has produced great results for the children it serves. But because of a lack of resources, it can’t reach half of eligible children, nor can it reach over 75% of all four-year-olds statewide. (2/7)

Is the answer to throw more money at the problem? Actually, yes! And an overwhelming majority of Americans agree: 67% of adults support funding universal Pre-K for all four-year-olds. So, what are we waiting for? (3/7)

We are on the verge of a national universal program for all three- and four-year-olds in the country. But both of our senators are set to vote against it. 👎👎 (4/7)
cnn.com/2021/10/26/pol…

.@SenatorBurr claims to support the expansion of Head Start, but alleges (without proof) that a universal program will “destroy” existing childcare options. (5/7)

If our two senators are going to play partisan politics with the future of our state and our children, it’s time for the #ncga to implement our own universal pre-k program here in NC like other states have already done. Our @NC_Governor supports the policy. (6/7)

With a federal universal Pre-K proposal on the table, the Leandro court-order, and an ongoing pandemic that exacerbated existing education and child care issues, we have a rare window of opportunity that we cannot afford to miss. #ncga #prekforall #ncpol (7/7)