Assessing the Presidential Candidates on Early Education

Voters in the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia, including we here at Early Ed Watch, go to the polls today to express their choices for the 2008 Democratic and Republican presidential nominations. So we thought this is a good time to look at what the candidates have proposed on the early education front.

Here’s the good news: We’re seeing some pretty ambitious proposals on early education from the Democrats in the field. Senator Hillary Clinton would provide funds to help states create universal pre-k programs for all 4-year-olds that meet high quality standards, starting at $5 billion and ramping up to $10 billion annually in five years. She would also increase funding for the Child Care and Development Block Grant. Senator Barack Obama has pledged to invest $10 billion annually to help states create and implement comprehensive early learning systems to serve children from birth through age five, improve Head Start and childcare quality, and expand Early Head Start. He would also make the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit partially refundable for low-income families. And both candidates have some smart ideas about supporting work-life balance to help parents spend more time with their young children. Despite some differences, both candidates are proposing serious investments that could make a real difference for American children.

[slideshow] Republican candidates, in contrast haven’t offered much in the way of early education ideas. Current frontrunner Sen. John McCain has been virtually silent on education issues. Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee touts his education record, including early education accomplishments—but doesn’t think the feds have a role to play in pre-k. Libertarian-leaning Texas Rep. Ron Paul is no fan of federal early education initiatives, and even voted against Head Start.

That’s one piece of bad news. A second is that Clinton and Obama, despite their ambitious pre-k and birth-to-five agendas, aren’t talking about how they will ensure early childhood initiatives are aligned with early elementary and other K-12 reforms to have a lasting impact on children’s education. We think that’s a mistake—both politically and substantively.

Substantively, it’s a problem because there’s evidence that academic gains from pre-k can fade away if they’re not supported by a high-quality early elementary program that’s aligned with and builds on children’s pre-k experiences. To maximize the impact of early childhood investments, policymakers must link these investments to K-12 reforms that improve early elementary schooling and align standards, curriculum, teaching and assessment across grades PK-3.

Moreover, failing to link early childhood investments to K-12 reforms is a political liability for candidates. As we’ve explained before, public opinion data shows that voters care about early learning—and the message that resonates the most is that early learning will help children succeed in K-12 education. Voters are less likely to support early childhood programs they perceive as “just childcare” (which many view as a family responsibility), or as boondoggles for liberal interest groups that want more education and social spending. To make the case on early education, politicians have to show how early education investments are more than just daycare—they’re real investments that will support K-12 reforms and generate measurably improved student achievement. PK-3 alignment is critical to making that case. Whether the eventual Democratic nominee is Clinton or Obama, she or he must take advantage of the opportunity to talk more about PK-3 alignment to make the case for early childhood investments as the campaign moves into the general election.

We, of course, would like to see both Democratic candidates talking more about their early education agendas now, in the primary—what’s more, we think both would benefit from doing so. Early care and education issues poll best with women—many of whom are also dealing with the very childcare and work-life balance issues Sen. Obama’s birth-to-five proposals seek to address. Talking more about these issues could help him with a constituency where he needs to make gains in order to secure the nomination. At the same time, early education issues underscore Sen. Clinton’s record and experience fighting for children, and her charisma and passion for these issues come through when she speaks about them.

And, of course, we’d love to see Republicans talking about the issues as well. Early education shouldn’t be a partisan issue. Republican governors and members of Congress have championed early education initiatives, including Governor Huckabee, who helped expand Arkansas’s pre-k program and implemented K-4 reforms aligned standards, professional development, and accountability in the early years. Republicans will need to strengthen their education message moving into their primary—they should check out some of these good, low-cost ideas on improving federal support for early education.