Deputy Assistant Secretary for Rural Outreach John White will travel to Salt Lake City on Wednesday, May 29 to visit the Granite School District and learn more about local services for preschool students in Utah. He will meet with the District's preschool services team at 1 p.m. and observe preschool classes at Woodrow Wilson Elementary School at 2 p.m.
Granite's preschool program is a local model supported by federal Title I dollars and foundation partners. Granite has also collaborated with school districts that would like to offer preschool education in rural areas.
President Obama put forth a "Preschool for All" proposal in his Fiscal Year 2014 budget, and the Department is currently seeking input from stakeholders on the president's plan to partner with states in making access to high-quality early learning a reality for every four-year-old in America. Studies prove that children who have rich early learning experiences are better prepared to thrive in school.