Mayor Lee Announces Major Expansion to Make Preschool Available to More San Francisco Families
New Investments in Early Education Exceeds Highest Standards in Nation; Funding Made Possible from Voter-ApprovedChildren’s Fund & Public Education Enrichment Fund Renewal
Mayor Edwin M. Lee today announced a major expansion of the existing Preschool for All program for all four-year-olds in San Francisco to enhance early education opportunities and to help meet the needs of working families in the City in advance of his State of the City address this week.
“An investment in Universal Pre-K is an investment in San Francisco families and an investment in a more affordable San Francisco,” said Mayor Lee. “Voters overwhelmingly supported renewing the Children’s Fund and the Public Education Enrichment Fund to make this investment because providing high quality, early education is critical to setting our children up for success.”
After the successful November 2014 voter passage of the Charter Amendment to extend the Children’s Fund and the Public Education Enrichment Fund for 25 and 26 years, respectively, the City will accelerate access to universal Pre-Kindergarten for all 4-year-olds that live in San Francisco, regardless of income level. This goal exceeds the highest standards in the nation and will help an additional 860 families access high quality Pre-K annually, for a total of 4,660 families that will be enrolled in the Preschool for All program.
Early access to high quality early childhood education provides children from all backgrounds with a strong start and a foundation for school success. Numerous economic studies have documented high quality early childhood education programs can provide a rate of return of $7 or more on each dollar invested through a reduced need for spending on other services, such as remedial education, grade repetition, and special education, as well as increased productivity and earnings for these children as adults.
Mayor Lee in advance of his State of the City address will outline investments that will provide much needed financial support to low and middle income families struggling to stay in San Francisco, will align and build upon the city’s successful Preschool for All program leveraging existing early care education infrastructure, and will increase Kindergarten readiness and success for San Francisco children.
“An investment in Universal Pre-K is an investment in San Francisco families and an investment in a more affordable San Francisco,” said Mayor Lee. “Voters overwhelmingly supported renewing the Children’s Fund and the Public Education Enrichment Fund to make this investment because providing high quality, early education is critical to setting our children up for success.”
After the successful November 2014 voter passage of the Charter Amendment to extend the Children’s Fund and the Public Education Enrichment Fund for 25 and 26 years, respectively, the City will accelerate access to universal Pre-Kindergarten for all 4-year-olds that live in San Francisco, regardless of income level. This goal exceeds the highest standards in the nation and will help an additional 860 families access high quality Pre-K annually, for a total of 4,660 families that will be enrolled in the Preschool for All program.
Early access to high quality early childhood education provides children from all backgrounds with a strong start and a foundation for school success. Numerous economic studies have documented high quality early childhood education programs can provide a rate of return of $7 or more on each dollar invested through a reduced need for spending on other services, such as remedial education, grade repetition, and special education, as well as increased productivity and earnings for these children as adults.
Mayor Lee in advance of his State of the City address will outline investments that will provide much needed financial support to low and middle income families struggling to stay in San Francisco, will align and build upon the city’s successful Preschool for All program leveraging existing early care education infrastructure, and will increase Kindergarten readiness and success for San Francisco children.