On Thursday, Congressman John K. Delaney (MD-6) filed the Early Learning Act, legislation that creates access to free pre-k for all four-year-olds. The Early Learning Act gives states federal funding to establish or expand their pre-K programs, with revenues provided by a 1.5% surtax on incomes over $500,000.
The bill provides states with up to $8,000 in funding per student, per year for pre-k. Funding is administered by the Department of Education via a new Early Education Trust Fund that can only be used for pre-k grants to states.
A substantial amount of academic research shows that pre-k produces better educational, career and economic outcomes for students. Studies have also found that pre-k reduces the achievement gap and helps low-income students succeed. By reducing long-term costs and improving outcomes, pre-k has also been found to be a fiscally-responsible investment.