Access to Early Childhood Education No. 175

Adopted 2004
Amended 2005

Public Education begins in most states when children reach the eligiblity age for entering kindergarten. Some more progressive states have public education beginning at age three. Because research demonstrates that children begin learning at birth, ADA advocates publicly supported high quality child care programs for children even before the age of three.

Scientists fully agree that what children learn in their first five years is more important than any later learning. This refers not to the learning of letters and numbers but rather to the very development of the learning process.

Young children need to develop physically, cognitively, communicatively, socially and emotionally.

ADA supports the concept of universally available public education and supports initiation of these programs at birth so that all infants, toddlers, and preschoolers receive high quality, consistent care in all settings, whether at home, early Head Start, childcare centers, family childcare or preschools.

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No. 175

Nutrition in Schools

S.2066 : A bill to establish nutrition and physical education standards for schools.
Sponsor: Sen Obama, Barack [IL] (introduced 9/18/2007) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
Latest Major Action: 9/18/2007 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.

S.1031 : A bill to amend the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 to provide coordination and direction for commodity programs, and to ensure the distribution of fresh fruits and vegetables to schools and service institutions in the United States.
Sponsor: Sen Clinton, Hillary Rodham [NY] (introduced 3/29/2007) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
Latest Major Action: 3/29/2007 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.

S.RES.176 : A resolution recognizing April 30, 2007, as "National Healthy Schools Day".
Sponsor: Sen Clinton, Hillary Rodham [NY] (introduced 4/30/2007) Cosponsors (5)
Committees: Senate Judiciary
Latest Major Action: 4/30/2007 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Source: www.thomas.loc.gov