Today, Rod Hall, candidate for the Virginia House of Delegates in the 31st District, announced his legislative proposal to implement Universal Pre-K within the Commonwealth and improve support for early childhood educators, with support from Delegate Lamont Bagby, Chair of the Pre-K-12 Education Subcommittee and Chair of the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus.

According to data provided by the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER), despite marginal improvements to state-funded preschool programs, the Commonwealth still ranks in the bottom half amongst states for access to quality Pre-K programs for 4-year-olds, and provides no access to quality Pre-K for 3-year-olds. 

Early childhood educators also struggle to make ends meet with limited benefits, a lack of professional development opportunities, and low wages. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), early childhood educator ranks in the bottom quintile of annual salaries within the United States. This severely impacts the pool of educators available and willing to teach our youngest residents during the most critical developmental years of their education.

The data is clear, children who participate in early education activities led by well-trained teachers are better prepared for kindergarten and a lifetime of learning. Ensuring that the Commonwealth’s youngest residents have access to quality early childhood education helps close achievement gaps, promotes equity of opportunity, and ultimately supports our future workforce. 

As a product of a strong early childhood education program, and a staunch advocate for Universal Pre-K, Rod Hall outlined the following plan to tackle these issues:   

“My life is a testament to the immense benefits of an early childhood education.  When my father passed away unexpectedly when I was 4-years old, my mother was able to enroll me in a quality pre-K program. Not only did the program provide a nurturing environment for me to learn but it also gave my working class mother peace of mind with respect to her own job security. A comprehensive early childhood system that provides access to affordable, high-quality child care for all 3- and 4-year-olds and supports its workforce can have significant benefits for children and provide economic security for working families here in the Commonwealth.”  

Hall’s plan encompasses four core pillars:                   

1.    Expand state-supported Pre-K to include ALL 3- and 4-year-olds

2.    Make professional development certificates and degree program eligibility for early childhood educators and administrators permanent under the Get Skilled, Get a Job, Give (G3) Back Fund

3.    Revise statewide career pathways and reauthorize every five years to ensure industry relevancy

4.    Authorize a state-funded tax credit for early childhood educators and administrators to incentivize professional development, workforce retention, and improve early childhood program quality

“As Delegate, ensuring Virginia’s youngest residents and the educators that support them will be a top priority. All children deserve an opportunity to benefit from a great public education regardless of zip code or socioeconomic background. I will fight to ensure every student has access to an education that will put them on the path to success—from early childhood through higher education,” said Hall in his statement

On this plan, Delegate Lamont Bagby said “I’m pleased to support Rod Hall’s plan to implement Universal Pre-K.  As Chair of the Pre-K – 12 Education Subcommittee, I look forward to working with him to implement this vitally important policy once elected.”

As the Commonwealth works to recover from the ongoing economic downturn, strengthening our early childhood programs, implementing Universal Pre-K, and supporting our educators will be critical. We must ensure that our children are prepared to transition back to a strong and supported classroom while folks who have had to exit the workforce due to economic strain can re-enter the workforce with the peace of mind that their children are receiving a quality education all the while.