Christina Weiland discusses what universal pre-K would look like under the Build Back Better plan with Metro Parent
From its current iteration to what a federally funded program could offer Michigan families, Weiland provides parents a primer on universal pre-K
President Biden’s Build Back Better plan proposes significant funding of early care and education from infancy up until kindergarten—a first in the nation’s history. Yet many parents are still confused by what, exactly, universal pre-K is, and what it could afford their families.
Speaking with Metro Parent, SOE associate professor Christina Weiland laid out universal pre-K in plain terms: it is “the opportunity for every family to send their child to a publicly funded preschool program at no cost if they want to, just as they can do for kindergarten.”
From currently funded programs like Head Start, to pros, cons, and misconceptions about universal pre-K, Weiland explains what this provision could mean for families, and when they might expect to benefit from it.
“The Build Back Better legislation that is currently under debate is a six-year proposal, with the federal government providing [funding] entirely through 2024 and then a state match through 2027,” said Weiland. “After that, new decisions and investments would be needed to continue the programs.”
