(HARTFORD, CT) – Joined by lawmakers and early education advocates at a rally on the north steps of the State Capitol, Governor Dannel P. Malloy today praised the Connecticut General Assembly on the final passage of legislation establishing the Office of Early Childhood and moving Connecticut towards universal access to pre-kindergarten.
"One of the best ways to make sure our children can be successful in life is to make sure that all of them have access to a high-quality early learning experience," said Governor Malloy. "We know that if a child comes to school with a limited vocabulary, it can be an impossible obstacle to overcome in the remaining years of primary school. That's what has driven my efforts in this regard throughout the time that I have been Governor and throughout the time that I was mayor of Stamford. It's the best bang of the buck that you can get and now is the time for the State of Connecticut to make the same progress to make sure that no one is denied this opportunity.
Governor Malloy said he looks forward to signing H.B. 5562, An Act Establishing The Office Of Early Childhood, Expanding Opportunities For Early Childhood Education and Concerning Dyslexia and Special Education; S.B. 25,An Act Establishing The Connecticut Smart Start Program; and H.B. 5596, An Act Making Adjustments To State Expenditures And Revenues For the Fiscal Year Ending June 30, 2015, when they reach his desk.