By Catherine Amos, Danville Register Bee
The Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act moving through Congress includes an amendment from Rep. Tom Perriello, D-5th District, to even out funding between rural and urban areas for early childhood education programs.
Perriello held a conference call Thursday with Rep. George Miller, D-California, chairman of the House Committee on Education and Labor, who described the SAFRA bill as “an historical act.”
“(This legislation) is the largest commitment by the federal government to higher education in our his-tory,” Miller said.
The bill, H.R. 3221, would improve college accessibility through an overhaul of the federal student loan process by creating a direct loan program in 2010. The program will form a public-private partnership and take the place of taxpayer-subsidized lenders, keeping the loan program “entirely insulated from market swings,” according to a news release from the education and labor committee.
The committee also states that because the bill meets “pay-as-you-go fiscally responsible principles,” the direct loan program would save $87 billion by 2019, according to the Congressional Budget Office.
In order to prepare students for higher education, H.R. 3221 also reforms state standards for early child-hood education through competitive grants for states under the “Early Learning Challenge Fund.” Perriello authored an amendment, which passed in September, to address disparities in early childhood education funding between rural and urban areas.
“If we’re not getting to early childhood development,” Perriello said, “then those kids are already com-ing to the system behind.”
The amendment requires states that accept the grants to evaluate and address geographic inconsistencies in educational resources for low-income families. Perriello said the bill was vital because of the combina-tion of a “moral obligation to our kids” and the necessity to prepare for a future work force.
Martha Tucker, assistant professor for early childhood education and reading at Danville Community College, said that whether it’s a beneficial home environment or an organized childcare program, stimulat-ing children during the first three years is essential to learning later in life.
“Because every experience that a young child has builds his base of background experiences,” Tucker said, “and when you enter school… your brain is much more wired for learning.”
Tucker said that by comparing the number of local children to childcare programs shows there are not enough resources available in the area.
“It’s hard out there,” she said. “Quality costs a lot of money. I think grant funding or any kind of amendment that evens the playing field for young children would be invaluable to this area.”
The SAFRA bill would also invest $40 billion in the next 10 years through increasing the maximum yearly Pell Grant scholarships to $5,550 in 2010 and to $6,900 by 2019, Miller said. Perriello said that investment would include $88 million in scholarships for 19,000 students in the 5th District.
In addition to the early childhood education grants, the SAFRA bill would create a competitive grant programs to help improve community colleges and expand access to work force programs and other courses. School districts will also receive funds for financial literacy programs for students, as well as for energy-efficient school improvements.
