NCLR Endorses ‘Preschool for All Act’.

The National Council of La Raza (NCLR) and eight affiliated Latino early childhood education organizations in California will join with Rob Reiner, author of the “Preschool for All Act,” in a telephonic news conference to discuss this ballot initiative to make publicly-funded preschool available to all children in California. The telephonic news conference will be held on Thursday, September 29, at 10:00 a.m. PST (call-in number below).

The “Preschool for All Act” ballot initiative will be considered by voters in California in June 2006. Although nearly half of the one million children of preschool age in California are Latino, only 37% of Hispanic children and only 60% of children overall attend a preschool program. Research has demonstrated that preschool is vital to preparing children for future academic success and that Latino families have specific needs for a preschool system that will work effectively for their children.

Participating in the telephonic press conference are Janet Murguia, President and CEO, NCLR (Washington, DC); David Valladolid, President, Parent Institute for Quality Education (San Diego); Hector Ramirez, Vice President of Programs, Para Los Niños (Los Angeles); Linda Mora, Program Coordinator of CALWorks, El Concilio (Stockton); Maria Quezada, Executive Director, California Association for Bilingual Education (Covina); and Rob Reiner, author of the “Preschool for All Act.”

Other NCLR California Early Childhood Education Task Force members who will be available to answer questions include Alfredo Villaseñor, Executive Director, Community Child Care Council of Santa Clara County; Ray Uzeta, Executive Director, Chicano Federation of San Diego; Elvira Díaz, Vice President of Resource Development, MAAC Project (National City); and Elizabeth Acosta-Crocker, Director of Children and Family Services, Unity Council (Oakland).