New early education bill lauded

LYNN-Gov. Deval Patrick Thursday officially signed into law An Act Relative to Early Education and Care, laying the groundwork for important advances in early childhood education.The bill unanimously passed through the House and Senate early last week, just as a similar bill did in 2006 before it was vetoed by then-Gov. Mitt Romney. Patrick made sure early childcare advocates got their wish this time around, putting his signature on a revised version of the bill re-submitted by Joint Education Committee Co-Chairs Sen. Robert Antonioni and Rep. Patricia Haddad early last year.The bill supports a number of key initiatives underway at the Department of Early Education and Care (EEC), including formally establishing a universal pre-kindergarten program to provide voluntary, universally accessible, high quality early education for pre-school students in Massachusetts.The bill also ensures a continued cooperation between the EEC and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, formerly the DOE, which work together with school districts and organizations in both the public and private sector to fund and institute early child care programs.The Lynn Public Schools Early Childcare Department receives eight separate early childcare grants from the two organizations at the present time. One of those eight funds a universal pre-kindergarten program at the Harrington School and in partnership with the Gregg House.Early Childcare Program Coordinator Marilyn Mahoney, who has been a vocal advocate for this legislation, says this bill will move communities forward in their efforts to provide childcare, and succeeds in maintaining important partnerships both in the public and private sector and between the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and the EEC.”This is very exciting from our perspective, I feel like in a way it validates all of the work that we do,” she said. “It will have a very positive impact on the programs and services that we offer families with young children in this community, and it will affect both the public and private sector, that is an important component, too.”She calls Patrick’s education plan a “wonderful vision” and praised the governor for coming through on his word to make big changes to the state’s education structure.Mahoney said the eventual goal is not just universal pre-kindergarten for everyone in the state, although that is a large component of it, it is establishing a variety of public and private services so that families can choose the type of care and education their children receive.”It is not something that is just a matter of taking care of children. It is educating and identifying the needs of each child so that they can be successful,” she said. “It is about creating a mixed system where parents have a choice, whether it be private, pre-school, public pre-k, etc?”In addition to the educational component, the bill supports strategies that encourage education and care providers to bolster their regulations setting heath, safety and quality standards for all licensed programs.”With this bill early education is firmly established as the foundation for a lifelong education journey,” said Secretary of Education Paul Reville. “The Governor and I are determined to work with our colleagues in the legislature and with practitioners and providers in the field to ensure that we build a 21st century education system that helps every student achieve academic, career and life success.”