Sacramento, CA – [The National Council of La Raza (NCLR), the largest national Latino civil rights and advocacy organization in the U.S., and members of the California NCLR Affiliate Network (CNAN), a coalition of some of the state’s leading community-based organizations serving the Latino community, today released the text of a letter sent to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Speaker of the Assembly Fabian Nuñez, and Senator Don Perata urging the Governor and the State Legislature to work together on legislation or funding which will allow more of California’s children to attend preschool.

The CNAN members which signed the letter include AltaMed Health Services Corporation, Los Angeles; California Academy for Liberal Studies, Los Angeles; California Association for Bilingual Education (CABE), Covina; Campesinos Unidos, Brawley; Center for Training and Careers, Inc., San Jose; Community Child Care Council (4C’s) of Santa Clara County, San Jose; Community HousingWorks, Escondido; Darin Camarena Health Center, Inc., Madera; El Centro del Pueblo, Los Angeles; El Concilio – Council for the Spanish Speaking, Stockton; MAAC Project, National City; National Hispanic University, San Jose; Parent Institute for Quality Education (PIQE), San Diego; Rural Community Assistance Corporation, Sacramento; Unity Council, Oakland; San Diego County SER/Jobs for Progress, San Diego; Calexico Community Action Council, Calexico; Montebello Housing Development Corporation, Montebello; Eastbay Spanish Speaking Citizen’s Foundation, Oakland; American GI Forum San Jose Chapter, San Jose; and Women’s Initiative for Self Employment, San Francisco.]

The text of the letter is as follows:

On behalf of the National Council of La Raza (NCLR) – the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the U.S. – and the California NCLR Affiliate Network members listed below, we write to urge the California Legislature and the Governor of California to work together and develop a plan to give more children, especially those from low-income families, access to preschool.

In the past several months, many California lawmakers, including Governor Schwarzenegger, have acknowledged that participation in preschool programs can benefit a child’s overall learning and educational development and have made it clear that providing access to preschool to low-income children is a priority. However, little has been done to make preschool a reality for low-income children in California. It is time that the Governor and the California State Legislature step up to the plate and pass legislation, or allocate the necessary state funds, to allow more children to attend preschool.

Latino children currently represent nearly half of all preschool-aged children in California, but account for just 36% of preschool students. Such a disparity makes increased access to preschool programs that much more important. Research has shown that the benefits of preschool are long lasting and far reaching. In fact, children who attend preschool are more likely to graduate from high school and go to college.

Latino families understand that access to preschool programs can make a significant difference to their child’s education, but they are unable to take advantage of such programs because of limited space, waiting lists, and the high costs of such programs for working families. There are only a few weeks remaining to make a difference in the education of California’s young children. The time to act is now.

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