John King, senior advisor delegated duties of deputy secretary of education, will deliver the keynote address at the National Head Start Association’s annual conference on Thursday, April 2, in Washington, D.C. He will discuss the importance of ensuring every child has access to high-quality early learning programs, so that all children enter kindergarten ready to succeed in school and in life.
King also will highlight the need for the Elementary and Secondary Education Act—also known as the No Child Left Behind Act—to support state and local efforts to expand high-quality preschool; reduce unnecessary testing; give teachers and principals the resources they need, while also supporting schools and districts in creating innovative new solutions to problems;make real investments in high-poverty schools and districts, and address funding inequities for schools that serve high proportions of low-income students; and ensure high expectations for all students.