DELAURO APPLAUDS $133 MILLION IN EARLY LEARNING CHALLENGE GRANTS – WISHES IT WERE MORE

New Haven, CT - Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-3), Ranking Member on the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee, released the following statement today in response to Education Secretary Duncan's announcement that $133 million of this year's Race to the Top funds will be used to provide Early Learning Challenge grants to five states. These awards build upon the nine Early Learning Challenge grants awarded in 2011.

"Studies show that early investment in our children reaps long-term rewards for student success and the strength of our communities. While I would have liked to see an even larger proportion of this year's Race to the Top funding go toward early learning, I am glad that the Secretary has chosen to build upon last year's efforts to benefit our early childhood systems.

With these awards, fourteen states will be Early Learning Challenge grantees, and many more – including my own state of Connecticut – are taking proactive steps to secure funding in the future. I look forward to a continued investment in states' efforts to improve educational quality for our youngest students."

A total of $550 million was provided to Race to the Top in fiscal year 2012. The remaining funding of $417 million will be distributed competitively to school districts.