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# Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona Stresses Importance of Kindergarten in Early Childhood Education Remarks

# Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona Stresses Importance of Kindergarten in Early Childhood Education Remarks

September 7, 2023

**Contact:  **press@ed.gov

                                    -        
Thank you.  I’m pleased to be here at Beyer Early  Childhood Center in Rockford, Illinois, with Representative Eric Sorensen and National  Education Association President Becky Pringle to visit an incredible early  learning program here and talk about why we believe early childhood is so  critical to raising the bar for education in this country.

I also want to thank  Mayor McNamara for your presence and leadership.  Superintendent Jarrett, and Director Nelson,  thank you for highlighting the importance of early childhood education the way  you do.  

And of course, Principal  Laura Blackwell, thank you for welcoming us.   I know it’s not easy to pull off an event like this while school is in  session.  I appreciate you!

We all know a strong  start in education makes a big difference.   As a teacher, as a parent, as a former school administrator, I’ve seen  it for myself.

And I’ve also seen  the consequences when some students benefit from early opportunities in  education and others don’t.  You could  tell the kids that got a quality early start.

And as we see in  other areas of education, it’s too often our nation’s Black and Brown students,  our English learners, our students from economically disadvantaged communities,  who suffer the most when gaps emerge early on.

It’s  heartbreaking.  And it has to  change.

We can’t talk about  raising the bar for education, and we can’t talk about fixing a broken,  inequitable system, if we’re not stepping up in the earliest years.

The span of early  learning begins at birth and goes through age 8 or third grade. We collaborate  closely with the Department of Health and Human Services on development and  learning from birth to age 5.

Today, I want to  focus on what we at the U.S. Department of Education are focused on as one of  the most pivotal pieces of the early childhood equation: kindergarten.

Right now,  kindergarten is the first formal early learning opportunity for children at a  large scale – so it makes a big difference whether or not we get it right.

It’s the first big  chance for most students to get the services, supports and the interventions  they need for on-track development – and it’s the first big chance to build  partnerships and shared understanding with parents and families that can help  their children learn and grow effectively.

And when we don’t,  the evidence is clear: the gaps that result can persist and widen through  elementary school, sometimes beyond.

Just one example: we  know students who are chronically absent in kindergarten are much more likely  to be chronically absent in later grades.

Think of how many crucial  early routines and habits, and how much early learning in things like reading  and math, don’t get developed properly because of that.

But also think of  the difference it makes when we introduce children to incredible opportunities  early on.  I was thrilled to see children  here getting an early start on a multilingual education.  That’s going to have so many benefits for  their development – and eventually, give them so many options for their life  and career in a global economy.

Done right, kindergarten  can serve as a sturdy bridge to first grade, to elementary school, and  beyond.  

The announcement  we’re making today aims to step up our efforts in this area through the  Kindergarten Sturdy Bridge Learning Community, a new multi-state community of  practice organized to transform how students experience kindergarten. 

Investing in  kindergarten is investing in a strong start for all of our young people –  building a strong foundation not only for their future, but our nation’s  future.  

I’m proud of the  steps we’re taking today.  I look forward  to your questions.  Thank you.
   -  Tags: Early LearningSpeeches
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