Photo: Kate Samp for Strategies for Children

A new national survey released by the First Five Years Fund has found public, bipartisan support for public investments in early learning.

This endorsement is important now as Congress considers President Obama’s proposal to expand high-quality early education and care for children from birth to age five.

The survey “revealed overwhelming support for ensuring that children gain the knowledge and skills necessary to start kindergarten off on the right foot, with a majority of voters saying that we should do more to achieve this goal,” the Fund explains in a fact sheet.

On kindergarten readiness, the survey found: “Overwhelmingly, voters say we should be doing more to ensure children start kindergarten ready to do their best – virtually no one says do less,” according to a report from the Fund, which worked with the bipartisan research team of Public Opinion Strategies and Hart Research Associates to survey 800 voters from July 8 to July 11.

Among the survey’s findings, there was widespread support for increasing the nation’s kindergarten readiness efforts. The survey asked:

“And when it comes to ensuring that children begin kindergarten with the knowledge and skills they need to do their best in school, do you think we should be doing more, doing less, or are doing enough?”

– 70 percent of respondents said more should be done

– 24 percent said enough was already being done

– 2 percent said less should be done

Breaking this question down by political affiliation, support for increasing the kindergarten readiness effort was strong across party lines:

– 60 percent of Republicans said more should be done

– 68 percent of Independents said more should be done

– 79 percent of Democrats said more should be done

The survey then asked respondents about Obama’s proposal, explaining:

“Congress is considering a plan that helps states and local communities provide better early childhood education programs to parents of children from birth to five. It provides ten billion dollars per year for ten years in grants to states to provide all low- and moderate-income four-year-olds with voluntary access to high-quality preschool programs. It also makes available voluntary programs in high-quality early education and child care for infants and toddlers, as well as home visiting and parent education. The plan would be paid for by a 94 cent per pack increase in the cigarette tax and not add to the federal budget deficit.”

Overall, 70 percent supported the proposal, including 50 percent who said that they supported it strongly. Backing for the proposal also comes from “key demographic groups” including:

– 83 percent of Hispanics who support the proposal

– 82 percent of African Americans who support the proposal

– 68 percent of suburban women who support the proposal

– 79 percent of young voters under the age of 35 who support the proposal

In addition, “American voters rate ensuring children get a good start in life as an important national priority. In fact, 86% say this is important, second only to increasing jobs and economic growth,” the fact sheet says.

And rather than putting this issue off, “Three-in-five (63%) prefer Congress ‘take action now,’ rather than ‘wait until later to consider this proposal.’”

Press coverage of the survey results can be found in the Washington Post, EdSource and LA School Report.

Public support like this deserves proper expression. Contact your Congressional representatives to let them know that you’re part of the widespread public support for early education.