FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact: Paul Ciaramitaro, [email protected] 202-794-1567

WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 8, 2019) – Save the Children Action Network (SCAN) President Mark Shriver applauded Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo for signing a state budget that increases preschool funding by $8 million and provides 280 new high-quality seats.

“Governor Raimondo promised a budget that would be focused on Rhode Island’s future, and today she delivered on that promise,” Shriver said. “This victory required teamwork, and SCAN was proud to work with Governor Raimondo, state legislators and pre-K advocates across Rhode Island to ensure that more kids will have a strong start in life. In addition to boosting the state’s economy, these investments will also pay huge dividends as more and more Rhode Island children will develop, at an early age, the skills they will need for school success. This is a big step in the right direction that should serve as a model for states across America.”  

SCAN, the political advocacy arm of Save the Children, has supported Governor Gina Raimondo’s multiyear plan for universal pre-K and expanded early childhood education. Shriver noted that universal pre-K could boost Rhode Island’s economy by more than $230 million, a return of nine dollars for every one dollar invested.

As an organization that supports efforts to prioritize access to high-quality early childhood education and child care across the country, SCAN is working with partners in Rhode Island to mobilize policymakers and advocates across the state on behalf of a strong early childhood education agenda.

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Save the Children Action Network is the political voice for kids. We believe that every child deserves the best start in life. That’s why we’re building bipartisan will and voter support to make sure every child in the U.S. has access to high-quality early learning and that no mother or child around the globe dies from a preventable disease or illness. By investing in kids and holding leaders accountable, we are helping kids from birth to age five survive and thrive. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.