First lady of Mass.: Invest in future of early education
Lowell Sun, January 31, 2007

BOSTON --Early education advocates, including the state's first lady, met with Massachusetts legislators yesterday to push for a statewide system of public and private pre-schools.

But even lawmakers who support the plan warned there won't be enough to initially fund the costly program.

Sen. Robert Antonioni, D-Leominster, co-chair of the Joint Committee on Education, said he doesn't expect the pre-kindergarten program to be completely funded this year, although funding could increase over several years.

"The price tag is expected to be large," Antonioni said.

While Antonioni did not give an estimate, Early Education for All, a private coalition that champions the Massachusetts Universal Pre-Kindergarten program, estimates it would cost $600 million to fully implement the program.

The coalition sponsored a kick-off rally at the Statehouse yesterday featuring Diane Patrick, wife of Gov. Deval Patrick, and Dana Mohler-Faria, the governor's special advisor for education. Patrick said children need a quality education from a young age to help establish opportunities for the future.

"The impact of a child's beginning, whether it is strong or poor, shapes their adulthood," said Patrick, a former public school teacher. She said the state must invest in the future through early education instead of paying the price later for failures that are preventable now.

Mohler-Faria said educa tion remains a high priority for the governor, but he acknowledged there was still more work to be done.