Letter to Scott Walker, Governor of Wisconsin - Preschool Grants

Letter

The Honorable Scott Walker
Governor of Wisconsin
115 E. Capitol
Madison, WI 53703

Dear Governor Walker:

On August 18, 2014 the Department of Education and the Department of Health and Human Services notified the state of Wisconsin of its eligibility to apply for federal funding through the Preschool Development Expansion Grants. We are pleased that Wisconsin was identified as one of 36 states eligible for this grant, which was based on the state's current program and the existing need to expand critical preschool services to more children in Wisconsin. The Preschool Development Expansion Grant will award selected states with up to 15 million dollars a year for a period of 4 years.

Preschool Development Expansion Grants were created to support State and local efforts to strengthen programs in states that have been awarded with a Race to the Top-Early Learning Challenge grant. According to the Department of Education, the Preschool Development and Expansion Grants will be awarded to states which have successfully implemented and sustained High-Quality Preschool Programs that reach and service vulnerable children in high needs communities.

The deadline to notify the Department of Education and the Department of Health and Human Services of a state's intention to apply was September 11, 2014. We were deeply concerned to learn that our state did not notify the Department of Education and the Department of Health and Human Services of its intention to apply for this grant which could bring millions of dollars' worth of funding to our preschool programs. The final deadline to apply for the grant is October 15, 2014.

We strongly urge your administration to apply for this grant funding opportunity and allow our state the chance to compete for funding which could strengthen preschool programs for millions of children across our state. While the deadline for this grant is quickly approaching and capacity may be an issue, we would also urge your administration to ensure that adequate staff is in place in order to respond to such opportunities in the future. Wisconsin has long been a leader in early learning and we must not miss any chance to expand opportunities for our children.

In light of reports indicating that the achievement gap among students of color and their white peers is growing in Wisconsin, it is critical that our state exercise every option when it comes to accessing grant funding to support early education initiatives. Providing children with high-quality preschool and early learning opportunities is imperative to ensuring that children, especially those who come from disadvantaged backgrounds, are able to enter the classroom on a more level playing field.

Sincerely,

Source