Senate Passes Early Childhood Education Bill | Video

Jessica Roose | 2/26/2013

This afternoon the State Senate passed a bill to provide over $4.5 million in grants for early childhood education. Supporters of the bill noted that children who attend pre-school do better in school than those who don`t.

Opponents said it`s not the states job to fund early childhood education and that it is a job that should be left up to the parents.

"Until we, as a public entity, start standing up for families and parents and trying to empower them and give them more rights and expect more out of them in taking care of their children, I think little else that we do will ever make a difference," said Senator Terry Wanzek (R) from Jamestown.

"Most children start school at the age of three, giving them two years of school before they head to kindergarten. It is no surprise then to hear that children of low income families who can not afford pre-school test at a level two years behind their peers when they do enter school. The data shows us that they never catch up," said Senator Nicole Poolman (R) from Bismarck.

The bill passed with 35 votes.

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