Dear Advocates:
We need your voice to be heard today.
Governor Northam and his administration are making final decisions soon on how to allocate Virginia’s $67m in federal discretionary education funding. Early education cannot be left out and must receive its fair share. Anything less than a significant portion of this funding is simply unacceptable.
Your advocacy is making a difference, but we must continue to be heard.
WRITE TODAY AND TELL THE NORTHAM ADMINISTRATION TO FUND EARLY EDUCATION
The COVID-19 pandemic has placed significant setbacks on the historic achievements Virginia made in early education during the 2020 General Assembly session. Unfortunately, the $85m early education budget package approved by the legislature in early March has been put on hold until a special session occurs later this year – and the outcome still remains uncertain.
The $67m in discretionary funding under the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Fund (GEERF) was handed down to states to allocate resources to the education sector in response to COVID-19. While this funding can be used for early education, k-12, or higher education, we believe using these resources to support early education must be a top priority. Allocating anything less than a significant portion of the $67m would be a grave disservice to early education in Virginia – and more importantly, to the children, families and early educators who depend on these funds.
Write today to tell the Northam Administration to make early education a priority:
- Close gaps for our early learners in public and private programs
- Serve at-risk children on the Virginia Preschool Initiative (VPI) waiting lists
- Help parents get back to work
- Serve more 3- & 4-year-olds from low-income families
Funding for early education in Virginia is critical now more than ever. Many programs remain open through this crisis for essential personnel, but the full reopening of Virginia’s economy depends on families having more access to early education programs, not less.
E3: Elevate Early Education and the Early Education Matters campaign are fighting hard every day to secure this critical relief funding.
Researchers are predicting dramatic losses in learning in the early and elementary grades. The learning lost in a child’s academic career will have the biggest impact. If we do not invest the $67m wisely, the learning gaps are going to widen without intervention. The research is clear that we must start with our early learners from preschool through elementary to get back on track.
Together, we can make sure all of Virginia’s learners are back on track.
Lisa Howard
President & CEO,
E3: Elevate Early Education & The New E3 School
Note: E3: Elevate Early Education and all of its wholly owned subsidiaries are privately funded. We advocate for public dollars, but E3 does not take them.