Take Action - As a Universal Pre-Kindergarten (UPK) grantee, ask your state senator to restore funding for UPK in the FY10 state budget.

Sample Letter for Campaign

Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,

I am writing to urge you to sign-on to Senate Education Chair Robert O'Leary's amendment to restore funding for the Universal Pre-Kindergarten (UPK) Grant Program (line item 3000-5075).

As a national leader in education, the Commonwealth has committed to improving the quality of children's early learning experiences. National economics experts, including Nobel Prize winner James Heckman, have identified high-quality early education as an important investment in human capital necessary for sustained economic growth. Children who attend high-quality early education programs are more likely to succeed in school and attend college, helping to lower education, health care and social services costs.

UPK provides critical support for improving and sustaining the quality of early education programs. Currently, more than 6,600 children benefit from the UPK Classroom Quality grants in 481 classrooms in 97 cities and towns across the state.

As an early educator working at a program that is a grant recipient, I have seen firsthand the enormous positive impact of UPK on the young children and families in my program.

I also ask that you please contact Senate President Therese Murray and Senate Ways and Means Chair Steven Panagiotakos and request their support for UPK.

Thank you for your leadership and support.

Sincerely,

Campaign Launched:
May 13, 2009