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EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION IS A TOP PRIORITY FOR VOTERS, SECOND ONLY TO INCREASING JOBS AND ECONOMIC GROWTH.

The bipartisan research team of Public Opinion Strategies and Hart Research recently completed a survey of 800 voters throughout the United States.^{1 It revealed overwhelming support for ensuring that children gain the knowledge and skills necessary to start kindergarten off on the right foot, with a majority of voters saying that we should do more to achieve this goal. When presented with the broad outlines of a federal plan that helps states provide better early childhood education programs to low- and middle-income families without increasing the debt, fully seven-in-ten voice their support—with strong majorities of support among Republicans (60%), Independents (64%) and Democrats (84%).}

American voters rate ensuring children get a good start in life as an important national priority. In fact, 86% say this is important, second only to increasing jobs and economic growth.



Voters say we need to do more to prepare our children for success in school and life.


• 68% of voters think that half or fewer children begin kindergarten with the knowledge and skills they need to do their best in school.
• 70% of voters say we should be doing more to ensure that children begin kindergarten with the proper knowledge and skills to succeed.


Voters believe parents need help with early childhood development and government can provide it.


• 89% say it is important to make early education and child care more affordable for working families to give children a strong start.
• 86% want the federal government to help states and local communities build better preschool services and make them more accessible to children from low- and middle-income families.

INCREASING JOBS AND ECONOMIC GROWTH

ENSURING CHILDREN GET A STRONG START

IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS

REDUCING TAX BURDENS ON FAMILIES

SECURING OUR BORDERS

1 Methodology: Public Opinion Strategies and Hart Research conducted a telephone survey of N=800 voters throughout the country on both landline and cell phones. The survey was conducted July 8-11, 2013 and has an overall margin of error of +3.4%. Sampling error for subgroups within the sample will be larger. The sample was distributed proportionally throughout the nation and is demographically representative of the electorate.



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Seven-in-ten American voters support a federal plan to help states and local communities provide better early childhood education. Respondents were presented with a plan put before Congress, which broadly outlined the plan’s features as well as how the $10 billion-per-year-for-ten-year initiative would be financed.
" Congress is considering a plan that helps states and local communities provide better early childhood education programs to parents of children from birth to five. It provides ten billion dollars per year for ten years in grants to states to provide all low and moderate income four year olds with voluntary access to high quality preschool programs. It also makes available voluntary programs in high quality early education and child care for infants and toddlers, as well as home visiting and parent education. The plan would be paid for by a 94-cent per pack increase in the cigarette tax and not add to the federal budget deficit."


Again, this registers strong support among the electorate, as 70% indicate support and a stunning 50% say they strongly support the proposal.

Support for the proposal goes up when voters understand the proposal does not add to the deficit. When asked if they would support the proposal if it did not add to the debt or deficit, support for the plan increases to 77%.



Support for this proposal is broad-based and widespread, with large majorities of voters across the political spectrum and all key demographic groups in support:


• Democrats (84%), Independents (64%) and Republicans (60%);
• Parents (74%) and those without children at home (68%);
• Hispanics (83%), African Americans (82%) and white voters (65%);
• Workers (71%), and those not in the workforce currently (67%);
• Voters of every age group (79% of voters under the age of 35 to 65% of seniors);
• Voters in every region of the country (68% or higher); and
• Voters at every education level and income category (65% or higher).
There is a clear desire for Congress to take action now on this issue. Three-in-five (63%) prefer Congress "take action now," rather than "wait until later to conside



EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION IS A TOP PRIORITY FOR VOTERS, SECOND ONLY TO INCREASING JOBS AND ECONOMIC GROWTH.