U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan is adding his voice to those of former U.S. military leaders, touting pre-k as a remedy for the country’s dwindling recruitment base. Seventy-five percent of America's young people are unfit for military service, according to a report issued by the nonprofit Mission: Readiness. The report attributes the findings to obesity, poor health, criminal backgrounds and inadequate education. At a recent press conference, Secretary Duncan and several retired generals, including Gen. Wesley Clark and retired Air Force commander Richard Hawley -- called on Congress to pass the Early Learning Challenge Fund, legislation that would provide billions of dollars to pre-k programs across the country. "You can't wait until high school in order to change a young person," said retired Major General James Kelly. "It has to be done at a very early age, and that's why the need for high quality early learning is so vital."

On October 9, Pennsylvania Governor Edward Rendell signed a budget that cuts overall state spending but protects pre-k and other critical education investments. Basic education funding will increase by $300 million, and the state's Pre-K Counts program will be flat funded for the coming year. During the budget debate, the legislature considered proposals that would have decreased the state's pre-k investment by as much as 50 percent. In the end, Pennsylvania's early education champions prevailed, emphasizing that quality pre-k is precisely the kind of proven, cost-effective program that will help states emerge from the current fiscal crisis stronger and more economically competitive. "We know that one of the reasons Pennsylvania has made so much academic progress over the past six years is that we are investing in what works – starting with high-quality early childhood education," said Gov. Rendell.

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