Dear Advocates:
Virginia will receive approximately $67m in education relief as part of the CARES Act, the economic stimulus package passed by Congress and signed by the president. The discretionary funding which comes from the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief (GEER) Fund is available to use immediately. Governors decide how funds will be used and can be spent across a range of relief initiatives and early education is one of them.
Urge Governor Northam to Direct This Funding to Early Education
Many of Virginia’s early childhood programs remain open through this crisis. They are on the front lines making sure the children of essential personnel have a healthy early learning program to attend every day. We need these programs both now and when the stay-at-home order is lifted so Virginians can return to work.
That is why E3: Elevate Early Education and the Early Education Matters campaign are asking Governor Northam to use the $67m to:
- Close access gaps for young children
- Serve more children from low-income families
- Support early educators
- Improve quality of programs
Last year, 44% of our children entered the kindergarten classroom not ready in one or more areas of learning: literacy, math, social skills or self-regulation. If we do not continue to make early education a priority, more children will fall behind. The achievement and readiness gaps will widen.
Please take a moment to take action at vaearlyed.org & tell Governor Northam to direct the $67m to early education.
Stay safe and well!
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.