FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact: Edward Stierli, [email protected], (703) 859-3557

WASHINGTON, D.C. (June 14, 2019) – Save the Children Action Network (SCAN) President Mark Shriver applauded Rhode Island House Speaker Nicholas Mattiello and members of the House Finance Committee for approving a state budget on Friday that provides increases in funding for preschool by $8 million and expands the number of high-quality seats by 280.

“Investing new funds to expand preschool is a crucial step towards ensuring that more kids in Rhode Island will have a strong start in life,” Shriver said. “I applaud Speaker Nicholas Mattiello and House lawmakers for increasing the state’s commitment to early education programs. This is a big step in the right direction and I look forward to ensuring that all kids in Rhode Island have an equal opportunity to succeed.”  

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 children around the world survive and thrive. 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.