NEWS4SA: Congressmen hope to make pre-k programs more accessible

SAN ANTONIO - "I think we've been in a period during this pandemic - people realize the value of a strong education early on," said Congressman Joaquin Castro. He has spearheaded the effort to make pre-k and child care programs more accessible to families across the nation.

Wednesday afternoon a Bi-partisan Congressional Pre-K and Child Care Caucus took place over zoom, including congressional leaders from Oklahoma, Illinois and Massachusetts. Also in attendance, child care providers, like Edgewood ISD's Headstart Director Dr. Mary Miller-Baker. The meeting was to bring some insight on the initiative of a more affordable and high-quality early education program.

One Headstart parent said the program has helped her two sons tremendously. Janie Ramirez says her oldest son went almost 15 years ago and now excels in all of his high school classes. Her youngest son just finished headstart and is thriving in kindergarten.

"I saw the benefits he got," said Ramirez, "anything from reading, counting, to ya know, he was always ahead of others that started at kinder."

These pre-k and child care programs are supposed to lay the foundation for children, providing early literacy and ensuring a strong parent connection.

Mentally, it kept them busy reading books right, because sometimes us as parents we get home from work and we're tired and it's like, 'oh got a read a book and got to do this', at school they're getting that."

Ramirez says when her youngest son went back to pre-k during the pandemic, she was surprised how eager he was to get back into the classroom. She also noticed that having him in his headstart class kept him focused on hygiene and he understood the COVID safety protocols.

"They're in that routine, they already know after I eat - I wash my hands. After I come from outside - I wash my hands ."

The goal is to make these pre-k and child care programs accessible for everyone in any city.

Congressman Joaquin Castro said, "I think that selling this in Congress... it shouldn't be a tough sell."