Boxer works to expand early childhood education

Sen. Barbara Boxer on Sept. 14 wrote to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions to ask the committee to expand access to early childhood education, which is critical to helping children succeed in school.

The text of the Boxer's letter included the following:

"I write to urge you to include provisions consistent with my bill, S-206, the Early Education Act, to permanently expand federal support for public education to include early education.

"A child's early years are critical to the development of the brain. The National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences reported that early education opportunities are critical for children to develop the language and literacy skills they need to learn to read.

"It is essential that the investments we make in education reflect the crucial needs of our nation's youngest students."