Programs face severe cuts

To the editor,

With the General Assembly’s latest budget bill passed, early childhood programs are one step closer to facing severe cuts or elimination.

The proposed budget calls for the elimination of all state funded prekindergarten programs. This means that more than 100,000 children will be affected and more than 5,000 teachers will lose their jobs.

The proposed budget will also eliminate child care assistance to over 80,000 families.

Cutting early childhood education will not save the state money in the long run. Investments in the healthy development of our state’s most vulnerable children reduce future costs associated with the child welfare and criminal justice systems.

I urge you to call on Gov. Quinn to veto SB1197 and any other bill that cuts funding for early childhood programs. State legislators must create a budget that is fair to vulnerable families and supports increased revenue to adequately fund early childhood programs.

Sincerely, Stacey Plott, Pre-K teacher, Anna